


Kathy's Story

by AwatereJones



Series: Zombie Apocalypse Series [10]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, F/M, Gen, Ianto helped, Jack helped, Zombie Apocalypse, there were others that got out too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:15:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 32,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25002982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: So this is a prequel, the story of how Kathy Swanson got out and survived those first few years. This is just a quick one to let us see the carnage for the beginning of someone else's journey. It will lead home as the last chapter in the last section showed, Kathy does find Mecca in the end. But it was not easy. Meretrixvilis as I hope you like it xxx
Relationships: Kathy Swanson/Douglas (Husband)
Series: Zombie Apocalypse Series [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/328603
Comments: 65
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

Kathy was tired. It had been a long tiring day and she was sick to death of these junkies who didn't know what the hell the difference between washing powder and heroin was. Fucking idiots were ODing left, right and centre and she didn't know why this case had to land on her desk.

The world was going to shit, shit in a hand basket. Made of shit. With a shit ribbon.

The entire day had been surreal with people losing their shit, weird calls about some sort of rabid animals or something with no sign of any animals when the bodies were found, just dead three people all chewed up on the running track in the park and that homeless man with half his face gone. She had tried ringing Torchwood several times but they were out of range, probably a spooky-doo like Andy kept telling them. God knows, all she knew for sure is that it was not a full moon but may as well be for the amount of weird shit going on.

There was a flashing light on the board signalling help needed in the morgue and she sighed as she wondered if it was a family member trying to see a body or just Homer leaning on the button again.

There was something happening around the station now and she was too tired to even ask as more than one person ran past her office door like the place was on fucking fire. Maybe a gang thing in the morgue? What gang-bangers had come in lately? People wrre pulling on their stab vests, someone wandering past with a bandage on their arm complaining that someone had bitten them in the holding cells … funky shit.

Kath did not like it one little bit. No sir. She was not prepared for this on a Monday. Half the staff off with the flu or hung over after the match last night, skeleton crew today and now look … like fucking zombies out there staring at their computer screens with their months open. What! Fucksake, not like it's an asteroid coming to kill us like the dinosaurs, right? No idea why everyone is freaking out.

Kathy was about to rise from her chair to yell abuse at one of her team for watching porn or whatever when the phone on her desk went. She sighed and reached for it, still looking out the office window at the weird shit going on out in the main dog pen.

"Swan? That you?"

"Jack?"

"Kathy?" Jack's voice seemed strained and hr smile faded as she leaned forward in her seat "Kathy. Remember me telling you that I would do you a solid one day for that little thing you did cover in the restaurant?"

"God, I had forgotten bout that but I have to say… you do look nice in a frock" she laughed.

"Kathy… I am being serious here love. It's D Day. Listen to me and listen close. I am only telling you and I am saying it as quietly and as succinctly as I possibly can." Jack's voice was like a soft purr "that shit happening overseas… it's coming. It's coming fast. Run! Run like a good girl now."

Kathy sat there long after the call had disconnected at the other end, the faint call of his Welshman making him drop his phone back in its cradle. Hers still in her hand against her ear as the disconnect pips sounded.

Finally she placed her phone in its cradle and considered the tone of his voice, the shaky tone in the background and the sound of the Welshman. She had never heard him be anything but polite and slightly arse-licky. Ya know? That voice in the background has been demanding. Commanding and she knew the faint 'Yes Ianto' had surprised both of them.

The Welshman.

She pulled out her cell phone and checked her messages for the day, finding one from an hour ago that said simply 'Do you still have that map' and an unknown number. The map. Map? She pulled out her badge wallet and pulled the piece of paper from behind her badge, so neatly folded and old looking. She gently unfolded it and stared at the little drawing of a phone box. A little country roadside red phone box and some numbers. She had thought they were phone numbers or something. She had no idea what… coordinates? Were these map coordinates?

She sat drumming her fingers on the desk, and then she rose and looked out at the people wandering about. Andy Davidson was packing up his shit like he had also been called and she wondered if his ex-partner Gwen had called him too. He turned and met her eyes, his fear thrumming.

It was real.

Whatever this is… it's real.

Kathy swiped her keys from the desk and headed quickly to her car then paused, looking over at the SWAT vehicle sitting there being detailed. Strong. Sold. Fast. Bomb resistant. "Geoff, is that ready to be sent out?"

"Yes Ma'am, just gonna put it back into the pool" came the reply.

"Give me the keys, I want to take it out for a last check" she demanded, holding out her hand and half hoping he would laugh at her but then to her surprise he actually dropped the keys into her hand. Then she nodded and motioned for him to come with. He looked around and followed without comment.

Andy was running, passing them as he pulled his jacket on. She saw panic in his face and knew she had to move too. She could see two of her team standing by the doors, their faces full of shock as they stared at the screen on the phone one was holding and then in the distance she heard a scream.

Andy drove past, foot to the floor and some yelled at him as he sped out of the car parking area, the distant screaming getting closer so she stepped out to see people running along the street. It was true, it was here.

Kathy ran for the SWAT vehicle, those on her team that were close to her ran too.

Rule one.

Trust the boss.

She NEVER runs.


	2. Douglas

Douglas was not hard to find. He was still at the vet clinic finishing up on someone's lost cause, cursing as he finally gave up and pronounced the dog dead. It didn't look good. Something had gnawed half its damned flank off and it clearly was better off dead anyway.

His assistant was already pulling her jacket on, brushing past Kathy as she raced for her car. It was getting dark and she wanted to go home. Kathy stood watching as Douglas pushed the dog into a drawer and leaned against it.

"Doug" she said softly, her husband looking over at her with a glare.

"For Christsake Kat. Sterile room here!" he snapped.

"Dead, isn't it?" she sniffed, then reached for the radio sitting on the counter "Babe, something weird is happening and I want you to come with me. Listen to the radio"

"What? Are you insane? I have things to do here!" he leaned back to frown at her, his glasses perched on the end of his nose made him look so much older than his actual 35 years. Five older than her, but she still felt like he was her dad sometimes. Especially with that look of annoyance.

"Douglas. Either come with… or stay. I would rather you came with" she sighed. Maybe it was better this way… he had made it clear over the last few months that he was no longer 'into her' and the hint of divorce hung in the air like a bad smell most evenings anyway.

"And where, pray tell my dear, are we going?" he asked with a syrupy sweet smile. God he was a sarcastic bastard. She stood there wondering what she ever saw in him other than the good fuck now and then, then she shrugged.

"You know what? Stay. Don't mind me. I will see you… whenever. But remember… I tried to save us." She said sadly, turning to go and he cursed, throwing his gloves at the basket and missing tragically.

She was getting into the vehicle when he burst out the side door carrying a go-bag and some other things in a box under one arm. He got to her and snarled "Wait here. I have two dogs still in the clinic that were not picked up. Can't leave them!"

He returned with the large beasts and she rolled her eyes. Of course they were big. Sure. Limited space, had to be fuckin big. You know… everything about him was abrasive. Why hadn't she seen this BEFORE she married him ten years ago, huh? Before the realization that his remarks about kids meant he didn't actually want any and the cold dry sex between them would not produce any. Especially once he admitted a few years ago he had a vasectomy before they even met. Fucker.

"Douglas… please!" she groaned as he headed back in again.

He returned with two large kits and she shook her head as she called out to him between the seats "Where do you think we are going. Beirut?"

"Hey… don't mock me" he replied "we could encounter anything. Enough tranquillizer for a rabid bull if we need it in these large animal packs!"

"Seen much of those Dougie? Rabid bulls?" one of the team snorted softly at him.

"Yes Robbie. Actually I have seen one. Not pretty!"

"But ya married her anyway?" came a soft reply from the back and everyone laughed, including Kathy who knew dammed well who said it. She would punch him in the balls later the bastard.

"So. What's the story here?" Doulas turned to look at his wife as she drove the large vehicle like she stole it. Christ. She didn't … did she? "Kathy? What is this thing?"

"SWAT" several voiced barked, then laughter.

"OK, those people that were suffering from some form of mass hysteria… the ones they are telling us not to worry about." She said calmly.

"Yeah?" he nodded slowly.

"We need to worry."

"Kathy. Come on…"

"Torchwood. They rang me, told me to run. Get out and run." She glanced at him and they shared a moment of mutual panic. Torchwood. Captain Jack Harkness the enigma in a WWII Great Coat that always smiled, even when admitting that he killed the man they were looking at in the alleyway that night. Douglas knew him. Had met him at a few Heddlu social events and that time they came across a crime scene covered in UNIT and Torchwood locked in some weird battle over a body that looked… weird. The prim suited man and Kathy sharing a whispered conversation.

Kathy's phone dinged and she glanced over the shouted "Someone read that Text to me!"

Robbie pulled the phone from the charging cradle and read out loud "Kat. Shit in fan motor and on ceiling. Viral attack, blood borne. Bite infection. Death rate 100%. Run. Find somewhere quiet and out of the way. Dig in and shoot anything you do not recognize as human."

"What the fuck… what sort of message is that? Who sent that?" Douglas demanded.

Robbie checked the caller Id "Says… Dr Sato?"

"Toshiko Sato. Doctor Sato. Torchwood." Kathy muttered "Christ. She does not do texts, she does not share info and she has NEVER cursed in the entire time I've known her. Believe me if she is rattled we are fucked!"

"What do you think it is?" Robbie asked, reaching out to pull himself through the seats to stare at the road ahead. The young woman in the front passenger seat shoved at him and he blew her a kiss as he retreated, you don't mess with Mary or she will punch you.

Hard.

Robbie settled back to ponder things as one of the others pulled out his mobile phone and googled the news.

They all watched his face pale, then his eyes widen as he said softly "Guys. They are killing each other. Holly shit… we gotta find somewhere we can defend ourselves."

"What are you saying?" Kathy called back through the seats,

"Zombies!" Robbie said as he watched the footage over the Tim's shoulder with horror "I swear to god… Kathy, they look like Zombies out of a movie or something."

Robbie looked at Mary and said to her softly "We are all gonna die."


	3. stopping to think for a moment

Kathy knew where they were going and headed there with speed, not caring about the state of the road, the cars in the way she had to go around by driving on the sidewalks and across café seating areas. She only knew that she had to move.

They got to the industrial area and she didn't bother tooting the horn either, just slammed through the pathetic barriers that were not going to keep this thing out anyway, slamming on the brakes as they got to the doors of the warehouse.

Robbie ran from the vehicle and wrestled the large hanger doors, the SWAT vehicle creeping in, then the doors closing again. Kathy got out and looked around warily.

"Rob, Mary and Derrik … perimeter check. Dani could you please check for a working phone? Wifi?"

"Yes boss" all said and she turned to look at her husband who was still the back of the vehicle with those fucking dogs.

"Douglas. Come on. Get to, let them loose. The doors are all shut, they can't go anywhere" she sighed.

"OK Kathy please, what the FUCK is going on!" he roared.

"OK. Let's check" she said, reaching into the vehicle and turning on the radio, searching stations until she found one that ws talkback.

" _Holy shit people, come on. It's getting dark out there, I hope you all have your windows and doors closed because the bogeyman is out there, walking the streets wanting to eat your face off"_

The announcer was laughing as Kathy sighed. OK, not taking it seriously…clearly. She continued to search.

" _Is looks like some sort of mass hysteria is making people rampage like startled cattle. They are running in formation towards others who are trying to get away and …oh my god…oh my god…. They…they are attacking them…oh my god…no… they are…argghhhhhhhhhh"_

That one went dead and Kathy backed away from it as Douglas reached out to search for another channel his face now taught with fear.

_"We have not clear indication of where this originated, but we are clear in the fact that this is a virus that is transmitted by bite or spitting … bodily fluids. Also… we have a report that an officer not bitten but the blood splatter from his partner landed on his face infected him with this… anger. He turned quickly, rubbing at his eyes like in pain. It's an extreme anger that makes them want to hurt us. Kill us… like... hate us"_

"Is this real?" Mary whispered softly to herself more than the others "Is this shit real This isn't like War or the Worlds where the radio show was a hoax and everyone is reacting violently thinking it is real. Right? They are not playing?"

"Sally? I know… no… stay there. The cellar was a good idea. Yes. I will come get you soon, just stay there … stay quiet and unless it's my voice, do not unlock the trapdoor. OK? You hear people breaking in, moving about … let them. Do not call out and give yourself away!" Mark was on the phone and he listened then sighed "Look, you are my sister and I love you but if you can't listen to me …. Sally. Sally, this is not about controlling you… no… not I am not trying to scare you… this not… Sally… SALLY…"

Kathy watched him place the phone in his pocket and shake his head "She's being stubborn. Thinks she is safe there in the fucking house."

"What do you want to do?" Kathy demanded "We are almost to the point of no return… we can turn for your sister's place if you think she can play ball and get in. If she's gonna do the whole 'I don't know if this is real' shit we can't risk it. To run for someone who doesn't want to be saved, ya know? Sorry, but it's true."

Mark looked around the assembled people from the vehicle plaintively and asked "What do you all think? She's my little sister. Leave her, I know she dies. Stupid cow. She's preggers, five months gone, her two year old is in the background playing. Her husband is deployed overseas… armed forces. I don't see him coming back any time soon to protect her and she can't even lock a bloody door properly she is so…so…. Shit. She's toast isn't she. Might already be gone."

"Boss?" Elvira stood, her long black hair she always wore in a ponytail flicking as she cocked her had in his direction "Kid. We can't … not try. What are we running for if not to protect what we have? I don't know if I can live with just running away. We took an oath to protect and serve. I need something to protect, even if it is his skanky sister."

"Hey! She's not skanky just a bottle blonde with those big tits and fake lips and… hell. Right. She is kinda I guess" Mark frowned, and then smiled "But thanks. Her little boy is to die for."

"I hope so" Kathy sighed as she turned the key, knowing the part of town they had to move towards now "We just might."


	4. Sally

"Turn left here Boss" Mark called out and they crawled along the street where everything seemed fine. Like some little postcard scene with thatched roofs, manicured lawns and raised gardens full of colour. A dog lopped across the street with a bored look on its face and Mark pointed "There. The one with the stupid swing set that is so unsafe the kids can't play on it."

"I thought you said she only had the boy" Elvira said with surprise.

"Yeh… the neighbour has two that play with him sometimes. Right. Boss? Can you… like… come with?" Mark grimaces knowing his sister would not really care about his words, needed to hear from someone with some authority in their voice. Kathy stared at him and he nodded. His problem. Right.

He was out of the vehicle and running for the front door as Kathy and Elvira got out, their rifles resting on their hips as they scanned the area. People were inside as nightfall crept in, the street lights on already. Some curtains twitched as voices became raised and it was clear that his sister did not really want to come with.

Mark came out of the house with the little man on his hip, his sister coming after him with her face full of rage as he climbed into the SWAT vehicle. Kathy swore under her breath as she helped the woman in, her belly clearly full of baby as she continued to berate her brother for overreacting.

"It's mass hysteria, they are all telling us to stay inside!" she complained.

"We have come from the city, believe me… it's not hysteria. It's dangerous and if they come here those plate glass windows in the front of your house will not keep them out for five seconds." Kathy said to her as she closed the door and settled next to her "I've had the heads-up. This is serious."

"Look… I really think… oh my god" her voice petered out as she stared forward to the windscreen and Kathy turned to see what had taken her attention only to see a man running lopsidedly across the road, onto the front lawn of a house thee houses down.

"Boss?" Tim asked as he slid into the driver's seat.

"Punch it" she said as she bucked in, the sound of the engine roaring to life, making the man stop running and slowly turn in their direction, then he stated to run with extreme focus towards them.

"Boss?"

"Hit him, go through him, do not stop" she said calmly, bracing herself across the shocked woman's body and they hit the man, his weird growling sound cut off with a loud thud, then another appeared from the side of the house, running at them and slamming into the side. Mark's sister crying out with fear as more started to run from side alleys and then a house spewed forth a family, the little boy about the same age as the one inside the vehicle who was crying softly in Marks' arms.

The little boy outside had part of his face gone, dripping with blood and his teeth and lower jaw visible in the viscera dripping down. His little head turned to watch as they drove past and Mark's sister started to hyperventilate.

"Sally… calm down" he soothed, rubbing her hands, "It's OK. We are doing OK. Yeah?"

"We will be" Kathy said softly "Once we get out of the populated area and fin some space. We need to get to the Barrens or something, head that way and don't think twice about hitting one. They are not human anymore. Whatever they are infested with… they are something else."

"what do you mean … infested" Sally asked.

"Well … something is changing in them like… a drug or something … like… god. I don't know. All I know is that my first warning came from Torchwood and the message ws to run. If it's too big for them… if is clearly too big for us. Best we bloody run!" Kathy finally shrugged.

"What is it?" Sally repeated softly, now going into shock as she saw someone being attacked by a pack of wild people, the screaming faint but audible over the noise of the engine.

"Come on, punch it… no speed camera is going to send us a ticket" Kathy yelled as she also started to feel panicked from the very air in the vehicle.

They were travelling fast and the sudden slamming of brakes had everyone thrown about in their harnesses and a call of apology "It's a family running up the road, being chased. Kids… Kathy, what do we do?"

Douglas was many things but he was not a coward and as he spoke his hand was already on the handle of the door, swinging in the passenger seat to look back at her "We have room."

"OK" she sighed, nodding as she undid her harness and opened the door, letting it roll to the side and she clipped her harness into the doorway braces, bracing herself with her semi-automatic on her hip. As they passed the biters she let rip, cutting then down then they were catching up to the family, Kathy swinging from the doorway so they could get in, the last one on board panting as he clutched his arm, the blood dripping through his fingers making their Medic, Ghost move quickly.

"Not deep, no chunk taken out" he called out as he patched the man up, the father or a neighbour? There were five kids and three adults so it could be either way with who was who. Kathy settled back to watch the only adult woman comforting the kids, Sally sliding along to help and soon they were moving in relative silence again.

Eighteen people in here now.

No room for any more.


	5. what the fuck!

They had been travelling through the night, changing drivers now and then as everyone tried to stay calm, the images on social media growing more sparse and frightening as it became increasingly clear that this ws snot a simple case of the army coming in to clean it up.

The man with the bite had grown silent, brooding and withdrawn, squashed in a corner of the vehicle staring at everyone.

"Turn here" Kathy called out, checking the map he kept in her go-bag and they glanced at her, nodded and then turned in the direction she was pointing.

"What are we looking for?" someone called out.

"A telephone box. One with a light on the…there. That one. See the light is on but there is no one in there?" Kathy pointed, "That's the signal. That box."

They came to a halt and then watched her exit the vehicle, running for the box that was locked. She punched in some numbers on the keypad and the door swung in for her, letting her enter and close the door, then reach for the phone and pull it back to reveal something. A book. She had a book now. She ran back to the vehicle and was already thumbing through the book "Move! Go straight ahead!"

"Were are we heading?" Douglas asked.

Kathy looked at the map drawn on the front page of the book and called out "A safe house. Somewhere with food, weapons and time to regroup. Think our next move."

"Where the hell did all of this come from?"

"Torchwood." Kathy said as she read the precise handwriting of a very detailed Welshman.

.

.

.

.

"So, let me get this straight. This organisation, Torchwood… set up these safe houses in case an alien invasion or something happened and set them up all over the bloody place so no matter where they had to run, they could find a place to hide?" Sally was still unable to fully comprehend what she was being told here. "And you were given coordinates to the phone box that had the book in it, like… a survival guide?"

"Yes. I had been given a map as part of a deal with them over … some things that I had to pretend I could not see. I thought they were phone numbers but it was GPS coordinates to this book. The map was to take me to the places where these books are, find a book... find a way out" She sighed as she settled back "god knows who else has a map … there was more than one book so I left the other one. I checked… the same stuff in both o f them."

"What if… what if they wanted that book? What if us taking that book somehow…"

"Sally. There were two books. I took one, left one. If someone else comes along they will still have a book. The fact there were still two tells us that the owners of the books did not come this way. Whenever, wherever they moved from their base… it was not to this place. Knowing that crafty Welshman there was a back-up plan that the Captain didn't know about. That young man is too clever for his own good. I am telling you, sometimes… sometimes it's like he's a bloody predator looking at you like you are a rabbit or something" Kathy grinned "But… he did give me that map."

"This place the one? Look … a T on the door!" Elvira pointed and they slowed to look, the little cottage by the road with a stall out front selling free-range eggs seemed harmless enough except for that decorative T on the gate.

"Yes. Yes, turn in there and drive around behind the house. Let's not be seen if another vehicle goes past OK?" Kathy replied.

"From now on we are like stealth mode or something?" Elvira asked, looking intently at her.

"Yes. From now on… we are fucking ghosts."

.

.

.

.

Everyone was sleeping, bar Kathy and Dwight. She stood with one hand on his massive shoulder and the other on the rifle she was currently cradling like a baby. They were watching his phone, the man unable to sleep while his children were still in danger.

"What do you think it is?" he whispered to her, mindful that everyone else was asleep.

"I don't know" she sighs in reply "But it is not nice."

From the other room there was a sound of sniffling and she rose, going to check on the wounded man who seemed edgy, unable to sleep as he scratched at his bite. She entered the room and froze, the man was crouched over the bed of the little boy who was asleep with his mother. The man seemed…. Transfixed and Kathy felt it… that nasty cold hand sliding up her spine as she reached for her gun that was in the band of her jeans, levelling it at the man "Step away. John … look at me."

His head turned to her and she felt her gut twist as he snarled at her, displaying his teeth like some wild animal and then he lunged at her, a strange shrieking noise as he ran. She fired. Fired. Fired. Was down on the floor wrestling with him.

She could hear the children screaming and people shouting, the light coming on as someone entered but she could not explain, hadn't time for anything but focusing on the grip of this….thing… that was still coming at her, so strong and so willful as he snapped his teeth in her face repeatedly, his hands finding her plats and digging in his fingers, wrenching her head back to expose her throat.

The sound of the shotgun filled the entire house as Douglas shot the fucker at point blank range in the side of the head and he flew from Kathy's prone body, across the room to land in a heap.

He was still moving. Mouth moving and the strange snarling noises as he seemed to convulse. Kathy staggered to her feet and bent over, retrieving her gun and she staggered over to shoot it in the head until her clip was empty.

It stopped moving.

"Shot them in the head" she said, then turned to Douglas with relief "The pellets were scatters for ground control. We will change them out for dead shots. To the head. We have to get the brain."

"Like Zombies" Douglas said shakily, reaching for her and pulling her in for a clutch, his face in her hair.

"Yeah" she whispered with horror "Zombies."


	6. leave the blood trail behind

Sierra was silent, looking at her brother's body as it was slowly dragged across the floor. Dwight was comforting the kids, Sally in there with soft crooning as well, even as her own son Harry seemed to have slept through the entire thing.

"Look at tht kid" Elvira finally said with dry amusement "End of the world, gets his Zs in. Christ… can't say that, can we."

"Too many Zs to get ya back" Robbie agreed as he sat next to his teammate and grimaced, looking over at her with concern "It is real, right? This is real"

"Yeah. Unfortunately, I think it is" she sighed.

"So… there are eight of us from the team including the boss…" Robbie counted them off "You, me, Boss, Ghost, Mark, Tim, Mary, Derrick and Dani. Hang on… we count Geoff too? He is our mechanic from work after all. So … nine with gun experience."

"Look, the Boss' fella fired that shotgun like a pro. A Vet, he has guns for putting down animals. So … ten of us" Elvira corrected him "That Dwight is built like a brick shithouse … he can hold one off, wield a bat maybe. So … eleven of us can actually work for a living. Mark's sister is a bit blonde, isn't she? Her little guy is cute."

"My biggest worry is them … the kids. And Sally preggers … the mum of the others… Sierra … she has a hardness to her. She can be trained." Robbie whispered "But those kids. I mean … Manny is what… ten? Then Kelly and Karl the twins are six. Beryl is five and able to take direction. Run when told, drop when told… but the little one … Henry is the same age as Harry. Also … so little they can easily get scared and run. Hide, slow us down."

"Are we gonna be 'those people' Robber?" Ghost asked as he joined the conversation behind them "Like Mark says … serve and protect. Right? Gotta have a reason not to just blindly run back into the fire."

"Yeah. I get that, it's just … those kids could get us killed. Do they know how to be quiet? If we are hiding from a swarm… troop … whatever you call a heap of them raging like that… the kids could give us away" Robbie hissed then balked as Ghost leaned in close, eye to eye, nose to nose.

"I will slit your throat before I risk a single child. You hear me?" he snarled.

"I don't mean we sacrifice them … I am just saying" Robbie whined, leaning back as Ghost leaned in more.

"That's enough" Kathy said as she walked past, her uniform gone and the shirt she was wearing open like a jacket was her husband's PJ top. God, she wanted a shower. She wanted a drink. A good stiff…. Ah shit. She looked at the blood trail and sighed, turning to head in the other direction in the hopes of finding something to wipe it up with.

Those two young ones would be on the floor in the morning.

Kathy stopped walking as she saw something out one of the windows and she swore softly as she watched the faint fire. Someone had set a barn or something on fire. Someone.

"We have to go" she turned as she yelled it, the idea that 'someone' means there are people out there. Even at the distance it must be for the fire to be a little bight blob in the darkness it was far too close. If someone was moving around, they were possibly coming in this direction. Right?

"Kathy?" Douglas rose from the chair he had been in "What is it?"

"Someone set the red barn we passed to get here on fire. Someone is on the road so we have to move as quietly and quickly as possible before they find us. We are not able to take on anyone else as we are over stuffed now, we do not need firebugs either … that is enough to draw attention" Kathy explained as she did up the shirt and started packing things up from the table.

"Shit" Ghost moved to scoop up the little boy asleep on the sofa as Elvira went to get the woman with the other kids in the bedroom still.

They were soon in the SWAT vehicle and moving along the road again. Kathy looking back with an unease she couldn't shake. Eventually they were deep in the dark country, moving slowly as they tried to find the road. Not even stars tonight, no moon… cloud making it a weird feeling like they were on another planet.

I guess they were.

"Look for something like a stag's head." Kathy said as she tried to decipher the clues. A hastily sketched buck with a nice set of antlers not really giving her what she needed with no sleep and a hungry gut.

"You don't mean that do you?" Mark asked as he brought the SWAT vehicle to a stop. The scarecrow in the field ahead, the corner so sharp they might have driven into the field if not for road markers, was lit up in the headlights.

It was made of sticks and clothing that looked old. A boiler suit? Weevil… had to be Torchwood. A signal she could see.

"It's old, looks like it's ready to rot away. This cant' be the clue. Not something this old and dilapidated. Surely, I mean … another month and the weather would have destroyed it" Elvira argued.

"Then another would have been built to replace it" Kathy said with growing confidence as she also saw another boiler suit on the ground this only rags and tatters. Yes. This had been rebuilt several times. Whoever owned the field likely paid to keep it there.

Damn … this Welshman was organized.

She hoped one day she might thank him.

If either of them lived that long.


	7. a bug-out bolt-hole

They drove around the scarecrow with it's deer antlers gleaming in the headlights. The uneven ground ws no match for the large wheels of the SWAT vehicle and they drove towards the copse of trees that has a little wooden deer on a tree. Then they saw a little pathway, hidden from the road but now visible once you were close enough. Like a tractor road. Around the trees, behind them.

They crawled around to find a house sitting there.

"Fuck" Elvira said softly "Invisible from the road. That's a cool trick."

"Torchwood … they are full of them" Kathy replied, sliding out and motioning for Ghost to cover her hide as she walked towards the house with a confidence she did not really feel. A quick sweep told them it was a derelict as it looked and Ghost went back to get everyone as she entered the main room and saw a book sitting in the table.

Another book.

Kath sat and opened the book to find only one page with writing.

_This is your diary. Keep a log of incomings and outgoings. People, food… places… you may need to read this again for reference. Do not trust anyone outside your group, do not believe everything you see or hear and if you are reading this and you are not Torchwood…Good luck my friend._

Kathy got out her book and placed it next to this one, the handwriting the same, even a similar binding but this new book was a green leather, not brown. Clever. Colour coded? She knew it was the Welshman.

She looked up as her people entered and Robbie motioned to Tim to take one side of the room, he took the other. Both of them opening cupboard and drawers. Checking and inventorying the place. Good. Thinking on their feet. Good soldiers. Kathy was tired, hungry and pissed off.

"This old coal range heats the water as well" someone called out "Kettle looks water tight. Anything for a brew?"

"Holly shit" Danni said softly "This larder is fully packed. It's like… a hoarder's dream."

Kathy walked over to look into the small walk in pantry, the cans of food, snap lock bags of good and the clear handwriting on some unmarked things showing this was indeed a hoard. She reached in and took out a packet of crisps, checking the date. Still a month to go. Christ, he must have gone around once a month or so to one of the many points, restocking. Maybe a different place each month… making sure his …wow. Escape plan. She saw things kids would like and was surprised. He had kids? No. Wait. His sister did. He said once, his sister had kids. He had prepared to bug out if something bad happened like that Ghost-shift years ago. Clearly he intended taking his entire family, including his sister and her kids.

"Whatcha thinking?" Ghost whispered.

"That I need to kiss this man when I meet him" she sighed happily, opening the bag and taking a crisp, crunching into it before handing the bag to him. "Let's get those kids some nourishment. Start that fire, there's enough baked beans here to feed us for days alone. Check that ice box … are the contents still frozen?"

Ghost moved to the chest freezer and opened it, peering in. "No power but… still cold. Looks like it would have held for another… two … three days before stuff started to thaw. He had ice pads packed around everything to prolong the cold. Clever bastard."

"OK. Inventory" she said calmly "We take what we need, leave what we don't. Someone else might need this place too and if this place exists … others might as well. Who knows … as we get farther out maybe the sickness has not reached some other towns?"

Clutching at straws there Love" Dongles sighed "But you are right. We have to have hope ... the kids need to see that."

Dwight spoke "I will go with Tim and Geoff, look for firewood"

"Bound to be some out on the side of the veranda. Hopefully some stacked nice and high so we can get it by the armfuls." Kathy said absently.

"We will check, if there are we can all gather as much inside so we don't have to go outside again until daylight when we can see anything out there better" Douglas agreed "I think we need to be quiet, remember they seem to respond to noise."

"Like one could be way out here?"

"We are, aren't we? How long before a Bitten turns? We saw how long it took her bother" Douglas hissed "A smaller infection could take longer … drive this far before the effects makes the infected person stop the car. We have to be positive, but pessimism has a place here too."

"Where the fuck did she find you?" Tim asked with raised eyebrows, "For a vet, you seem …"

"I used to work somewhere called Canary Warf. I was finishing up my medical degree and worked part-time in my father's construction company. The day the Tower fell … we were working on a building in the same area. I saw things … things that… it was no terrorist event I will tell you that much. I learned that day… how to carry a gun how to defend myself and to never trust what your mind cannot explain." Douglas whispered softly "That day… I saw robots with human faces killing weird R2D2 style things that could shoot ray guns for a tube .. turning people to ash. It was explained to me by a man in a WWII Great Coat, a man with old eyes and an older sigh that seemed to speak of centuries not decades of sadness. Aliens. Cybermen and Dar… somethings. A galactic war that came to earth. That's what he told me. The only other thing I remember about this man who tried to make me drink something that I tipped out when he wasn't looking … he said he was Torchwood."

"This is real."

"Yeah."


	8. keeping friends close

Kathy woke to the smell of bacon and groaned, stretching in the bed and then getting up to stretch again, then fell forward to catch herself on her hands, 20 push-ups to wakeup.

Douglas was calling out to the kids and she realised with horror that they must be outside being called in for food. Oh god, really? She moved quickly to the window and relaxed, seeing two men out there with rifles, watching over the kids as they scanned. Good men, ex-military before turning to Heddlu uniforms and she is relieved to have them on board. Oh all of them, Ghost and Tim were old school and as they watched the kids she knew that they would follow orders without question. Her real problems were yet to show themselves and she hoped for a few days here to find out.

"Are we bugging out?" Dani asked as she saw Kathy exiting the bedroom.

"No. We are going to lick out wounds, check the radio stations and wifi news feeds, try to get a handle on this now we are out far enough to be safe from surprise biters." She replied calmly, settling at the table to smile at her husband, his nod of acknowledgment calming. For all their recent difficulties, at least he was on board.

"Well … if we're staying a few days I want to bring more of that wood inside, looks like fucking rain. Also … a check of the area in case there is another farmhouse hearty or something." Ghost muttered. "Don't want surprise visitors."

"Agreed. We do a search of the area, make sure we are invisible from the road, especially the smoke from the chimney and we prepare for the chance of moving quickly. Get the SWAT vehicle filled with food and such so if we have to run, we don't leave behind all of this." Kathy said around a mouthful of bacon.

"Good idea … I think there is an old Jeep in the shed next door … looks like it's not working but the battery is good, the radio might work to see what we can find too. Save the SUV battery." Elvira said as she stood and wiped her hands on her pants "I will search the garage and outbuildings for anything we might need as well. I don't think we will be back this way, will we."

"No" Kathy agreed softly "We won't."

Everyone rose to start their day, Kathy taking am moment to move to Douglas at the sink "Are you OK?"

"Yeah. You?"

"A little unnerved. Still some shock I think but … I feel clear headed. The adrenaline is gone and I am feeling safer out here" she admitted "I agree with checking the nearby houses and will head West … there could be Biters out there skulking about and it only takes one kid to wander off after a rabbit or something…"

I was thinking about that" Douglas nodded "I will ask Dwight to come with me to check the neighbouring farms to the East for stock as well. Could be dogs shut in … stock still in barns that should be released… I know it's silly but… I would feel better knowing that is OK. Also … we can't all travel in that SWAT vehicle. We need more transport. A second vehicle is a must. An old ratty truck with a back tray is even better than nothing. Check around will you love?"

"Agreed" Kathy smiles as she leans in and kisses him, surprising them both and she pulls back to hide her shyness "I will go see if Ghost is gonna come recon with me to the west."

"Kath"

She stops and looks back at him "Yes Douglas?"

"Be careful" he sighs "you know … I am used to you being around."

Me too" she finds herself grinning at him and she skips off down the steps to the back yard, signalling to Ghost who is on Kiddie Watch. He is keen and they take off in the direction of the nearest possible house, the roof barely visible in the distance peeking out of some trees.

Kathy hopes there is nothing got find.

Secretly terrified that there is.

And Ghost is little help as he hooks her hand like a child wanting his mother to reassure him and she has to remind herself that he is only a boy. Just a boy, even if only five years younger than her. For all his hero bullshit and prowess … he always hated the crime scenes the most. A gentle soul inside a soldier's body.

It is a nice day, even with rain developing later judging from the distant rain clouds and Kathy is trying to enjoy the walk like it is just another hike with three friends. Ghost and the two Uzis.

Why not.

An Uzi can be your best friend in a Biter fight.


	9. the neighbours

Dogs barking, the first noise and Ghost drops his hand to move forward as he feels the need to check on them.

"Ghost… stay frosty" Kathy reminds him with a hiss and he stops striding forward to scan the area, embarrassed by his lack of thought. The yard is clear and she nods, letting him run to release the dogs in the back of a vehicle sitting on the driveway. It is a station wagon that was clearly the family car with a kid's car seat in the back loaded with gear and as she walks around she find a second vehicle. A Ford Explorer with the back open, things being placed into it and some bags still in the driveway. One is tipped over like someone tripped over it and she feels the first tendril of fear as she looks at what can only be signs of someone running.

She looks over at Ghost who is grinning as he walks towards her, the dogs bouncing around his feet like only little terriers can, then his face drops and she swings in time to see the Biter coming towards them. She swung up the Uzi and fired.

Another biter came for around the house and Ghost cried out with horror as a little child followed, half its face gone and its teeth gnashing as his hands reached out in front with fingers bitten off and only bony stumps waving.

Kathy aimed for the head, taking them down and then she turned to throw up in the pretty flowerbed lining the side of the driveway. Ghost blew past with his gun up to check the front yard, finding nothing there but the remains of what must have been another child.

"Fuck" he spat as he stood there looking at the bloody grass "Fuckity, fucking fuckity fuck fuck!"

"OK" Kathy said raspily "not in front of the kids"

He turned to look at her with incredulity then started to laugh at her degusting comment the mood shifting as they both took control of themselves again.

"Right. Check those vehicles, are the keys in them? And I will check the house for anything we might be able to use that might fit. When we get those back to the house we can unpack and go through what is in there already, take what we need. I do not want to stop here too long, I want to move fast and get away from this fucking mess." She ordered and he nodded.

"Right … keys. Will check the shed for anything too … Christ. This is a family …. Kathy… this was a family." Ghost sighed with genuine sorrow. "Parents and two little kids."

Kathy nodded, heading into the house that was not locked but the doors had been shut so she knew there was no risk of a Biter inside. She walked in not really wanting to touch anything feeling genuinely like she was walking over someone's grave. Their lives had been in this house, this place they had been forced to prepare to flee from … only to be a day late and a dollar short.

She saw things the kids would need, feeling like a lowlife as she placed clothing into a apple box. She glanced out the window to see Ghost carefully pulling some table cloths he must have come inside for over the bodies.

Finally they were ready to go, the three little ankle biters in Ghost's family vehicle, Kathy wanting that explorer four wheel drive more. Also … those yappy dogs are a right pain in the arse even if he thinks they are cute. the vehicle must smell of dog shit, locked in there for that long. Those mixed with the ones Douglas has… god… what a combination they do not have time or space for.

Still.

The kids might find comfort in the little dogs that are clearly more cuddly than the big monsters Douglas has. And Douglas will be happy having more to fuss on, the kids not really his thing. Not that into kids, our Douglas.

They get back to the house and everyone is pouring over the things in the vehicles as Kathy quietly tells what they saw.

"Hang on" Elvira says with a sudden step back "A kid was eaten… the others turned?"

"Yes."

"Then… who turned them? If they were clearly the family from the photos inside …. There should have been an extra Biter there that attacked to turn them. If not…" she let he voice fade away as she started to walk around the fence line, scanning the area and Kathy felt the hair on the back of her neck rise.

She's right.

If the entire family is there… something entered their space to introduce the… whatever it is.

"Right… let's get some watches sorted" Ghost said as he agreed with Elvira too "Two people. One walks the outside fence line, another inside the house watching the outside person. If something goes bad… we only risk one and the one on the inside is safe. Sorry if that sounds mean but…"

"I agree" Douglas said with conviction "And I will take first outside watch. We will do it in four hour increments. It will get cold tonight with that snow coming and we need to sleep too."

Kathy nodded as she watched her husband take command.

He was right, they were not going anywhere with a snowstorm on the horizon. Best wait it out and hope those things don't like the cold either.


	10. 60 days in

**Day 50**

_We have been comfortable here but winter is coming and it is coming fast._

_The autumn cold we have experienced is making way for some bitter wind and this place is not as safe as I would like it to be. I want to move on before the first snows come but fear it may be too late. I don't think we would survive a winter here, so close to the city and I know I am not the only one thinking this way. It's just a matter of time before we have to fight the living or the dead if we stay._

_Douglas has started collecting fuel from the neighbouring properties as well as any weapons he finds, his friendship with Dwight growing now as they seem to gel as a team. The kids are also getting a bit much. Don't get me wrong, Douglas and I did want kids one day so it's not like their noise is too much …. but they need more room. And there is noise… Biters seem attracted to it._

_I also get the feeling this is not gone away, not over. Just because we are in a secluded spot, it doesn't mean we are safe. Those Biters are still roaming around and we find one every other day skulking around. I can't help but fear the day we get more than one … what if they move in congregations?_

_Just the thought of the kids being off in the field playing or something when a whole flock of them coming motoring over the hill, out of the trees with no way to get the kids to safety. Maybe it's like cabin fever, we've been here for almost two months and food is dwindling. I think we need to….._

_._

.

.

.

Kathy looked up from the journal she was writing in as she did every day, hearing Douglas call out something, rising to look out the window where he was walking towards the house with a deer over his shoulder, Dwight following with … oh no … another person. She took a moment to steady herself, knowing her anger would be showing and then after calming herself she stepped out to find the man already being introduced to people with handshakes and smiles.

"Kathy!" Douglas said jovially "This is Dean. Do you remember him? We both interned at the same Vet Clinic back in Wales. Remember? He had that beat up old jeep you used to hate seeing me hanging off?"

She did. "Dean. Yes, of course… my god, it must be eight years at least!"

"Closer to ten I am afraid, funny how time creeps up on you" he smiled, the welsh vowels softly filling the room "I have…. Had a little surgery in the village just south of here. When it all kicked off I ran with my assistant to the river. Seems they don't like water much."

Now… this was something new and Kathy nodded as she listened "any Intel on that?"

"Well … we got in a row boat and stayed on the water for about 24 hour give or take, saw three rampaging past in that time… not a single one stopped to even notice us. Then the fourth and fifth turned up together. Seems like teenagers, maybe in life they were siblings or a couple but they seemed to move together. They saw us and walked to the water's edge for a while like they were trying to find a way in but after a while they wandered off too." Dena shrugged "Ken and I agreed it was the water they didn't like."

"And Ken?" Elvira asks.

"Ah. That's the rub. The teenagers did not piss off altogether. They seemed to circle back and collect a few more with them. Looks like if there is a small cluster, they attract others. Sort of like sheep I think … if one is doing something, the others copy. We got to shore and there were eight of them coming at us. I was all for running the boat back out but Ken recognised his sister in there, ran towards her even as I… well. They were all from the village."

"How far away?" Kathy asked, glancing at the others who were putting on boots. A village. Supplies. Yes. This was a good thing, this man knew the area and was useful right now as a guide.

"It's a half hour drive" he said as he looked around "But … we can't go. It's infested with these things. I shit you not."

"When were you last there?" Dwight asked "I mean … if they walk distances like that... would they turn back home each day? Or keep moving forward hunting? If they wander aimlessly the thought here is some will have simply wandered off over the land right? Maybe there are less in the village than out here stalking us?"

Kathy slid over to Douglas "So they move in herds?"

"Sounds like it. I don't like that either. One or two we can handle but if a whole group came at us these idiots would scatter. Those with training would stand and defend, the others would run … we need some training and clear rules. We need a plan in place for a quick evac" Douglas agreed.

"We also need to sort transport. Another person, also supplies… we need to travel with enough food to last us a few weeks. If we come to an infested spot we will have to move on. We can't keep hunting the wildlife and loose stock … it draws attention." She hissed "Also … the next person we encounter might not be a friendly either. Harsh times, how long before our assets are wanted by someone else?"

"Agreed" several voices said at once.

Time to get organised, we have mourned long enough.


	11. what's that knocking?

"A school bus" Kathy repeated as she watched the Biters calmly circling their vehicle, the bright yellow bus sitting at the other end of the car park in the school grounds. The first main building they encountered heading into the town and it was already a gold mine "Do we even know if it has keys?"

"Well… that looks like the driver there by the back of it" Dwight pointed "Could be, if they are not in the ignition, they are in his pocket?"

"Wanna go ask?" Kathy snorted with amusement as Elvira checked her clip before slamming it back into her gun and prepared to party.

"I don't like it" Douglas said softly as he turned to Ghost "There are too many."

"Then … we need to get rid of some" Ghost agreed, peering out of the windows "See over there? The Gymnasium. I suggest we herd some in there, clear the road."

"How?" Douglas asked, then gaped as Ghost opened the car door and simply got out, calling to the Biters as he wandered calmly towards the Gymnasium.

"Holy shit… what if the doors are locked?" Elvira asked everyone and Douglas swore softly as Geoff took off after him. They yelled as they saw the Biters start to pick up speed as well and those inside the vehicle watched as the Biters became raging monsters running low to the ground at great speed with obvious malice in their manner.

"Don't be locked, don't be locked, doing be locked" Elvira said over and over as she watched the idiots slam into the doors, fumble with them and then she slumped with relief as they got them open, hooked them back and ran inside, soon followed by the Biters.

Then they watched them appear from around the side of the building and Kathy groaned "They can't secure the doors can they."

"Right" Doulas got out and ran for the only other car in the lot, getting in and struggling before admitting to no keys, slamming at the driving wheel until he snapped the steering lock and putting the car into neutral. The men started to push it towards the gym doors that Geoff and Ghost fighting to contain the Biters, Kathy behind the wheel as Elvira swept the lot nervously.

The idiots moved as the car slammed into the doors and they then all stood for a moment laughing weakly with the adrenaline rush.

"OK … next time… let's talk it over first?" Douglas asked shakily then turned to Kathy who was running for the school bus "Fuck. Come on, my mad woman is going in alone."

The adrenaline made them giggle as they ran after her and found themselves in the bus, looking around with their hearts pounding in their throats. The keys were in the ignition and she went to start it then looked towards the school "you know … schools have cafeterias right?"

"Shit" Ghost huffed, adjusting his stab vest "Let's go then."

They all groaned and went to leave the bus, Elvira hesitating "Wait. Shouldn't one of us stay with the bus?"

"Yep, you!" Geoff nodded "If you hear us shooting, come get us."

"If it starts" she rolled her eyes and then turned the key, proven wrong as it fired up after months of sitting. "OK, good battery."

"Turn it off, let's not attract anymore" Douglas demanded, looking out the windows nervously "Let's just go then."

They ran for the school and entered, closing the doors again behind them and then after a few beats remembered their training, raising their guns to sweep the area. Geoff grimaced then called out "HELLO!"

Nothing.

"Clear?" Douglas asked, looking over at Ghost who was canting his head as he listened, putting up a finger to silence Douglas, then he pointed. Douglas listened and heard it too. Something .. dragging?

Ghost glanced at Kathy "Boss, watch our six yeah?"

She hid her annoyance as Douglas walked with the men, her relegated to a bloody rear guard but deep down she knew it was not because she was a woman, it was because Douglas was the weakest link and like a pack of wolves, they kept the weak or sick in the middle where they were protected by the strongest around them. Douglas had no idea, this being something taught in her squad and not a general rule of thumb on a sweeping mission or whatever. She really hoped one day they would see the worth in him and accept that he was more than just a Vet. He was a good man, competent and righteous. Even if that last character trait pissed her off sometimes too.

On the second story, after travelling nervously up the stairs, they found some poles on the floor of a classroom like they had been hastily broken. There was an open window and going to it they found a few flags tied together, blowing in the wind and dragging back and forth against the building. They all sighed with relief.

"Christ, how they must have got out" Ghost snorted seizing the flag to drag it back in, the soldier in him not liking the desecration of it only it find it was caught on something and he was about to lean out to see when Kathy realized what was happening and seized his vest dragging him back as he yelped with surprise "what the hell boss!"

"Cautious Cats get the Rats! Curious Cats get the Cuts!" she hissed moving to the next set of windows and opening them to lean out and look down, then blanch as she shot back inside and turned her back.

Ghost pushed her aside and looked out, the child was hanging from the flags flailing and snarling as Biters do … the flag around his neck clearly how he died.

It had not been an escape attempt.

It had been a suicide.

"Well … fuck!"


	12. we need a real plan

"Look, we can't stay here" Kathy argued as she watched Ghost pull another desk about.

"Why not? You said yourself winter is coming. Look at this. Great solid building, high advantage in case of biters coming to get us and there are more than enough rooms for everyone. Did you see the food down there?" he demanded.

"Winter is coming, yes. Care to tell me how you intend heating this bloody place?" she settled in a chair like she was ready for a lesson and he turned to look at her then saw that she was right. Not practical, not with low to no fuel in the boiler. Damn, can't exactly ring for a refill of the tanks.

"Kat's right. We need to move somewhere secluded, safe and fenced. We need to dig in over winter then in the warmer months, move" Douglas agreed.

"Wait a second ... wait a god damned second here… how long do we intend to live like this?" Geoff demanded with anger making him shake "We just cut a little kid down! A fucking Zombie one!"

"Geoff… I know you are freaked out… you think I am not? Come on man. We all are but we have kids to think about that are still alive and need us to do the right thing. Caution over curiosity. Solid ideas over experimental tries. We have to get it right first time every time" Douglas soothed "We need to think long term, yeah. This could be years… this could be the rest of the world… forever. We need to adapt or the human race is fucked!"

"A B&B" Kathy suddenly blurted out, looking at her husband "Remember? The Alpine Rose? That little place? The homestead was in a secluded spot that you travel that long driveway to, hidden off the road… fresh water from the creek … fences… had a little hobby farm… it was cozy. Farm animals and the veggie garden … we talked about settling down somewhere like that when we retire remember? Full of wine and stupid talk like we might ever have a normal life."

"Yeah… yeah. Ten large double bedrooms including the barn right? A huge common room … a fireplace you can cook over… shit" Douglas leaned back to stare at her "It would be a full day's drive from here but … yeah. Doable. Really doable. We can dig in, wait it out and in the spring if we have to .. move further out."

"Until we hit the ocean?" Ghost snorted.

"Until there are no Biters in the area" Geoff saw it too "Ten double bedrooms? We can fit right? Twenty One of us but … the kids can bunk in and we can take beds with us from the store in town? Right? We would only need a few single beds, the place will have sofas and some bunks or something? Right? If not we raid nearby houses … yeah?"

"Could work" Douglas leaned back to consider and nodded.

"Then … we make that our plan. We boogie back and let everyone think it through, vote… then go. They will agree… I know they will" Ghost got to his feet "I wanna check some more rooms for anything of use then boogie. If this is our future now … our life now … I want somewhere I can fucking take a shit without watching the top of the stall."

"Amen to that" Geoff giggled as he agreed "Come on. I will look out for you, then you for me. God… yeah. Half an hour with a good book on the loo …. Is that asking too much?"

"Ewwww, gross" Kathy laughed as she got to her feet and smiled at Douglas, then stepped in close to kiss him. The spontaneous show of affection making his eyebrows rise.

"And you?" he asked

"Head for the first grade rooms, the kids should have sleeping mats or something we can use to cover the windows of the bus. Until we get it home, we could meet some Biters on the road or anything. When we fill this thing with future and shit … they can act as buffers. Also … getting cold. If we get stuck on the road overnight with a breakdown or something , it's going to be warmer that way." She informed him with that detached air of a cop giving an account of something.

"Right" Douglas grimaced as he looked around "I will check out the offices for anything as well. Who knows, the Janitor's Room might have some tools or something as well."

"Let's met back here in two hours, I will run out and tell Elvira the plan, get her to move the bus right by the doors in case we have to move quick and for easy filling … then come raid too" Kathy checked her watch everyone else automatically copying her and then they all peeled off leaving her and Douglas alone for a moment.

"Is this being too ambitious?" she asked him softly.

"No. This is being smart. Put in the hard work while we have time … in a few weeks the snows will have us bogged down and we have no idea what we might encounter out there on the road… best be ready" he reached out and took her arms, looking pointedly into her eyes "and the B&B … if there is anywhere in the world I want to make a last stand … it's there with you. We have the best weekend ever there."

"We did" she smiled, remembering the idyllic mornings waking in his arms, then finding out two months later that she was pregnant. The only time she had caught. Their only good try … the miscarriage still something she blamed herself for even though he assured her over and over again that he never did.

It had been their one weekend of euphoria.

Yes.

A good place to die… where they had really lived.


	13. wait ... supplies?

The others agreed, eager to move and once they checked the fuel situation finding more than enough siphoned from other vehicles in the neighboring farms, they were ready to pack then and there.

"Hold your horses" Douglas held out his hands "We didn't even get into the village to raid it … we still need supplies. We need to think it though logically. There will not be food… maybe a few things but if we intend surviving the winter… we need to fill a shitload of trolleys with non-perishable things that will last us through and personally… I want bog paper. No way I am going to use book pages or something!"

"Agreed" Sally laughed softly "I am still trying got toilet train this one, god. We need nappies… so much."

"And we have proven that we are capable of raiding right? Look … we bought home the means to get to our next home. We just need the stuff to fill it" Kathy looked around and her gaze fell on Dwight who was leaning against the far wall listening. "Dwight. I need you to stay behind again, keep a gun with you. We will go again at first light, while we are gone can you organize a stripping of the bus? We only need the front half in seats for us… the back rows can go to give us more room to pack things in… maybe pack in some things that we already know will be needed? The sooner we are ready the sooner we can go."

"Got a welder's kit in the barn out there… can cut the seats with that" Dani said to him as she leaned back in her chair "We can strip that out in the morning, after lunch we can start preparing it for moving … I think it might be a good idea to move two seats to the sides and weld back down like shelving too … take the padding off… leave the metal. We can pack weapons and stuff underneath to be easily pulled from underneath if we are attacked… we can run across them to get all around the bus so the supplies are not in the way. Even packing it down … we need to keep room to move if we have to shoot at a whole bloody army of those things."

"Bars on the windows too … shoot out the glass and one can get in" he muttered to her, moving to sit next to her as they started to get their project ready. His wife Sierra starting a list of things for the kids.

"I think we should dig up some of the garden" Sally said to Kathy, "something the kids can help with. The potatoes can be harvested, put in buckets…. Take with. right?"

"Good idea, yes. Any food we are not likely to se in the next two days, put it in the bus. Anything we might need or use … just leave a box to scoop in the toaster and hot grill and such before we leave. Also … I do NOT want to leave behind that coffee grinder. I might kill someone if we lose that!"

Soft laughter as Kathy made it clear that they all needed their coffee, agreement as everyone knew they also needed that morning stimulant. If only they knew, eh? If only they knew… the things taken for granted.

"Dean … you come with us this time. We sort of got stuck at the school and I realised there might be other places like that we didn't know were waiting … I know you don't want to go back, see your friends like that but … we actually didn't met that many biters. I think the assumption that they are migrating or whatever is correct. I think we might get there to a ghost town" Douglas asked his friend "You must want to check your surgery and your house. Collect a few things?"

"Yeah. I know. I am being a pussy … just… the thought of seeing the people I know … knew … the waitress from the diner that served me my morning coffee … Diana was a cutie and I was half-pie going to ask her out on a date… I saw her running along the street with half her face gone… I … shit. I am being a pussy right?" he sighed.

"We are all scared. But if we suck it up for now, buckle up and ride this bitch like we stole it… when we get to the B&B we can be selfish. Withdraw and lick wounds, cry, scream … who knows. There might be someone trapped alive in there still … we found you right? Who is not to say there is someone in one of the houses waiting for someone to come save them. Right? You would never forgive yourself if we check in a year or so and find bodies … a note… a sign hung from a top window asking for help … come on." Douglas whispered knowing it was dirty pool but also knowing his friend's soft heart was twisting now.

"We need you with us Dean. Come on … Hard, fast and dirty." Kathy said as she stood by Douglas "We need to protect theses kids… we need to get to this sanctuary we are promising … we need to be safe. We need to give them hope."

He nodded knowing he was there after Douglas put the thought in his head of someone still alive in the village waiting for him.

Damn it.

He was gonna get himself killed.


	14. think fast

"Around to the left, see the door to the pharmacy?" Dean whispered as they stood plastered against the side of a store, the alleyway their last safe place as their hearts pounded in their respective chests.

They had made it into the village and at first it had been silent as a grave. They had made the mistake of leaving the vehicle to walk down the street, looking. Then Dean had called out…. No idea what fucking possessed him and they barely had time to slide down this alleyway before the street came to life.

"Right … if we can slide round to that store, we get inside." Kathy hissed "Looks like the fire escape along the roof goes the length of the entire street, we can use that to break into each store without having to set foot on the ground. They will know, will try to find a way to get us and we have to consider each store as having some inside… OK? We can't fuck this up."

Douglas took a quick glance, then sighed as he stared at his wife, then his eyes slide to the canvas tarpaulins folded along the side of the building for painting drop cloths. He pondered then got out his knife. Everyone watched with surprise as he picked one up, shook it out to find the middle and then cut two holes.

If was when he placed it over his head and became a weird Halloween ghost that it clicked and Kathy could not help but giggle at her husband for his idea. You know… might work? Dean, Robbie, Mark and Mary joined the couple in their ghoulish garb, all trying to be serious for a moment and as they stepped out to slide along the front façade of the buildings Elvira leaned forward over the steering wheel of the SWAT Vehicle she had run to with her mouth open. Then she started to snigger seeing their plan.

They got to the door, Douglas's back to it as he tried to fumble the door handle, their first hurdle as the drop cloths were thick canvas and as he jiggled it one of the Biters in the street turned to look at them.

They froze.

It stood for a while staring at them then turned to look at a fellow Biter like they were having a conversation. Then they both turned to look at them.

"I think they made us" Dean hissed with horror.

Douglas got the door open and fell in, now moving quickly as they ran inside and struggled off the cloths as Douglas made sure the door was shut, those two Biters already at the steps like they were trying to remember how to get up to the walkway.

"Jesus…. My heart" Dean gasped, leaning back and knocking a display over.

Good one. No they were really made.

"Fuck" Kathy said, ever the Wordsworth this one. Biters started to move towards the buildings.

"OK … let's calm down. El is out there, she can see we are OK. We go along with the plan, move to the roof so she can see we are OK, get on the fire escape and see if we can get into the other stores. She will work it out. Clever girl that" Mark said as he tried not to glare at Dean "Then we pile out goodies at the end of the fire escape and we see if we can prepare … she drives in underneath it at the end, we drop to the roof."

And… what… surf to of here like Aladdin on the flying carpet?" Robbie asked.

Mary snorted softly, then pointed out something else "And here pray tell do we put out goodies? We will all barely fin on the roof, she will have to drive slow and they will reach us."

"Pick up guys?" a scratchy voice said and Douglas fumbled with his backpack to get to the walkie-talkie.

"Here El. We are all ok. Thinking of using the fire escape along the rooftops to get to each store while safe from the locals" Douglas said into it calmly.

"Good idea… me?"

"We need transport out of here… I think … can you maybe scout around for something we can use? Something we can put all the goodies in as well as us from the end of the fire escape without losing a limb?" he asked, frowning as he pondered the problem. Kathy noticed that they were all looking to him, not her. He had taken the reins. She felt relief with this, his former life as a marine in his late teens before entering the life of animals in his mid 20s not known to others but clearly still there in the back of his mind.

"There is the county roading company over behind the hall?" Dean said with a frown of his own "One of their huge dump trucks? If she drove it underneath we can drop things in, then is… high sides … they can't get in."

He was forgiven for the display crash, everyone nodding as Douglas relayed this to her, reassuring her they would have plenty of time for this to work … she can get a high sided truck, park it under the fire escape then when they were all in it, drive back to the SWAT vehicle and retrieve it.

Sorted.

Hopefully.


	15. scoop and run

Elvira was humming softly as she looked around the yard, seeing several earth moving tucks and a nice high sided truck that might do … she had to check … to look for keys and if they were empty first. No good if she can't get to them.

After sitting for several minutes she decided there were no Biters around so slipping out with her gun in her hand, she moved towards the larger one, the one she would prefer as it had a soft top that could be folded back for them to drop directly into and would be able to be covered for moving as a transport vehicle in the convoy they were going to need.

No keys.

She looked around again, then made a decision, running for the office and slamming into it, closing the door and swinging the gun around to check for Biters. Would not do to walk into a trap now. Her training kicked in as she pretended they were druggies and it was easier that way… less scary. I mean … It was still fucking scary but… OK.

She rifled around in the desk and found some keys, relieved to see them marked with the number plates along each key-ring and the large beast was there. Thank fuck. She had already named the large yellow truck Duckie... didn't want to change her mind now. Another quick check showed a small fridge on a battery… holy fuck. Solar … yes! He opened the window, pulling in the solar panel that recharged it, then tested the weight.

Now she had a dilemma.

Heavy, took two arms and no room for a gun. Move the truck closer? Call down the Biters if they did not already see her walking with a big arsed fridge in her arms. Still … she wanted it. She decided …. Fuck it.

She pulled it out to the edge of the deck, along with the beer it had held. She then took a deep breath and walked slowly with confidence to the truck, clambered in and turned the key to the click before full start, checking as the needle moved.

Thank fuck. Fully gassed up. YES! She punched the air, and then saw a new problem. Diesel. How long would this run? How far would they get in it before refuelling? She looked around again, saw a trailer with a tank on it. Got out, ambled over. Checked… over half full. Full would have been nice but let's not bitch too much. She tucked her shirt into her tight trousers and looked around as she considered her next move.

Now… fridge or trailer? Or both?

She knew the trailer was more important so she started the truck and back it around, running to hook it up as her heart pounded in her chest, looking for the Biter she expected at any minute. Nope… nope. She then drove it over to the fridge and hummed as she brought it further along, running for the fridge and lifting it onto the trailer's arms instead of into the truck's back like she had been hesitant to do. This solved everything … except the beer.

The first moaning noise was to her left and she turned to see three Biters walking calmly towards her, like they were about to ask for directions or something. Fuck me. She looked a the beer and shrugged, more to life than bloody beer.

She ran for the truck and put it in gear whooping as she drove off towards the main street where she drove the truck up under the fire escape as agreed, then saw the Biters and wondered how the fuck she was going to …. Ah. Douglas appeared on the fire escape waving at her in her side mirror, then he simply dropped down to the canvas top, leaning over to unhook it and fold it back so the others could carefully hand stuff down, then clamber down the ladder as they took turns shooting at the Biters who were trying to climb up the same ladder.

She sat back and took a deep breath, relieved that this has worked and she hadn't fucked it up. Her radio crackled "Good work El. Now … we need the SWAT Vehicle back, let's go back for it … by the way… nice fridge."

She laughed at Kathy's jovial comment, also pleased about that little extra thing that she hoped would make life a lot better on the road. They had no idea how long they would have to travel once they started and she would be damned if she was gong to go without some comforts thanks.

The toilet paper raining over the side of the fire escape had been the best part for her … OK…OK… the candy bars… but the paper was a close second. Ok

A good job done!

.

.

.

having internet issues here ... can only slip this one chapter out ... will update some more stories tomorrow guys


	16. sweet moments

Douglas and Dean were in the sporting goods store, pulling apart displays as quickly and quietly as they could, Douglas focusing on the thermal clothing for all sizes, scooping things into shopping baskets as Dean was more calculating, going over the fishing supplies as well as adding some traps. Traps might be good … especially the ones for large game.

Douglas glanced over and saw what Dean was doing, agreeing as he tipped out some large containers of fishing things they did not need, using those containers to gather more things that could be used to set up booby traps. Great idea. Yes.

They got the things up to the fire escape, finding Kathy calmly stacking toilet paper at the end to it could go in the truck first with some pillows. Great… would create a good cushioning along with all the bedding still on its packaging she was adding. God, they would be able to supply a damned B&B now… wow.

"OK … next store?" Dean hissed peering over the edge of the fire escape to look at the Biters, and then he leaned back against the building and taking some deep breaths, telling himself they were not his friends, not his neighbours. They were Biters. Alien things … monsters. Not someone he knew. No.

"OK … I think we jump into the bakery to check for any sealed baking goods … flour and such." Kathy said as she motioned for Dean to move, letting her step up try the window there. "Damn … locked."

Dean kicked at the glass, and then grunted with pain.

"Safety glass" Douglas said as he knelt and slid a blade in, looking at the latch as he wriggled until it gave.

"So … broke into many places?" Dean asked with amusement.

"Actually … yeah. With animal control, we had to sometimes for those locked in and abandoned houses and the like" Douglas answered "the things you learn in the real world that they never taught us at school."

They dropped in through the window, Dean checking that they could get back up by pulling over a bench to step on to reach the ladder that had sort of stuck. God, anyone that had been trapped in here during a fire would have been toast, no way this would ever fold down.

Flour, yeast, even a bread maker that might be able to be used … lots of cooking utensils in case the place they were heading to turned out to be a bust. Cooking over a camp fire would destroy things in no time flat. The huge mixing bowls great for cooking for large numbers … the idea of this being a long term thing slowly settling into a reality.

Next they moved to the book store, almost going in before hearing a faint moan. Biters. Either a door had been left open or they had locked themselves in and died or something … looked like there were Biters inside so … nope. Moving on.

They moved from store to store, clothing a great find and the pharmacy a relief as they gathered as much medication as they could possibly carry, again not knowing how long they would be travelling and need anything/everything in their arms.

The sound of a large engine had them racing to watch Elvira bring the truck under the fire escape as agreed. As Kathy and Douglas looked at each other, Douglas shrugged then japed off to bounce on the tarp covering, undoing it so they could lower and drop things. Elvira was waving to them out the window and then the Biters started to get more dense, Kathy telling Dean to get in next so he didn't have to see them with the sides of the trick being high enough to block his view of his fellow townsfolk.

He was relieved and did so without fuss, helping Douglas pack things to make room, and then they drove to the SWAT vehicle where Kathy watched Mike and Mary run to it, following them back home triumphant.

They got back near dusk, nervously checking for anything that might be off and relieved to see the curtains drawn, only a faint light if you were looking for it form the road with that almost not there light from candles. They had also kept the fire low as if hiding. Good … if someone had been following them or forcing them to return they could have moved on past without it even looking like the place to stop.

They got into the yard and Danni shut the gate, running to hug Kathy as she laughed at the huge truck. Everyone was impressed with their takings, the tarp pulled over top to protect everything.

"No point unpacking everything, not if we are going to move out soon. Best go through tomorrow in the light, repack it and make sure what we really need is near the front" Douglas said as Dwight clambered into it and whooped with glee at the candy bars, calling out to his kids.

"Douglas… you are a good man. I could kiss you!" Dwight boomed, everyone laughing as Douglas seemed to be the one to get the praise.

Kathy agreed as really… he was the one who found them in that store.

And it was nice to see him being acknowledged.


	17. the spoils

Kathy was in the back of the truck, looking over the baskets of food as she sorted what needed to be packed into what areas. She looked over at Dwight who was sorting clothing along the edge of the truck where he had hung a large sheet of plastic, then hooked the clothes hangers over the edge so he could easily sort the sizes and sexual orientation of all the clothes that had been haphazardly bundled into the truck.

"You know.." he said conversationally "I don't know if pink is my colour."

She watched him hold up a bright candyfloss pink t-shirt, holding it against him as he pouted and she couldn't help but laugh at the display. He did this. Not always, sort of held back but every now and then he played the fool in the cutest way. His wife was a lucky woman.

Kathy started to pull the latest crate towards the back of the truck where the back flap was removed only to have him move after her "Here, let me get that Duckie."

"Duckie?" she asked with amusement.

"Well … I can imagine you are a graceful swan but you are more like a duck to me… gracefully gliding along like the Swan you are named for but beneath the surface you are going hell for leather aren't you. Tell me Duckie… do you make lists in your dreams too?"

She laughed, shoving at him to hide the fact she rather preferred the title now she knew it had nothing to do with being an ugly duckling. All to do with paddling to stay against the current trying to drown them all.

She could be a Duck.

Dwight carried the crate over to the bus where he handed it off to Danni who was packing the non-perishables in a designated area… well … OK. It was a wardrobe removed from one of the rooms, laid down on its back so the door pulled up and back against the wall of the bus. One the other side was the same with a small walking space. The two single mattresses against the wall were to go on top so the kids could sit on them during the journey, sleep if need be, the space between for another mattress. Cramped but at least plenty of warmth with close body heat. Right?

Kathy watched him disappear inside the bus, talking to Danni as he helped her carry the crate then she turned back to her task. Douglas clambered into the truck to help, pulling out some bedding to prioritize then push it into the already emptied corner "This is stuff we will need when we get there, if we pack things like this along this side, we can un-pack this side first right?"

"Makes sense" she agreed, smiling as she watched her husband fuss about with their riches. "What do you think?"

"I think we need to consider moving soon … within the day not week … there were so many of them, more than I thought and I feel really, fucking really creeped out. What if they follow us? Are heading this way with that ambling gait? A handful? All for them? I know it's probably being silly but…"

No" she cut him off "I am sort of thinking the same thing. If we can get to the new place, get settled and then find some sort of normal for these kids… even just for a while… I am all in."

"Me too" he grinned, pulling her close for a kiss. Not your average kind of spontaneous partner this one so it was a surprise, nice one though.

"Move out tomorrow then?" she asked like it was no big deal and he nodded, agreeing immediately that it was the best idea. Move while they can. Look for a small safe haven. Sit out the fast approaching winter. Can't last long, right?

"The dogs should be in the SUV or the SWAT … they might bark and attract the Biters so we should have them in a smaller vehicle that can move away from the convoy, tempt the Biters away or something if they start pulling them in towards us with noise" he surmised "We have the SWAT vehicle, the SUV the Bus and the Truck. I have noticed them calling it the Duck … and you getting called Duckie. Like it was your jam."

"Maybe it is. If I go first with the truck, I can blast through road blocks making way for everyone else, the SUV driven by Ghost, the SWAT by Elvira…" she pondered.

He finished her train of thought "the bus by Dwight who is clearly a calming influence on everyone … we make this work and go like stink."

"Words to live by she grinned, watching him rub his hands on his pants then reach up to shove his glasses up his nose again.

"Right… she's going to pop any day ya know."

"What?" she blinked with confusion.

"Sally? Mark's annoying sister?" he rolled his eyes, "Would rather be settled before that happens."

"Shit. I was sort of trying to ignore that one. A crying child can be reasoned with… a screaming baby…" she stopped talking and rubbed her face "That's not fair. Not her fault. God."

"We are all tired before we even begin. Come on. A group discussion .Food and early bed. We will move at first light, when we can see those things out there" Douglas held out his hand and she accepted it, letting him help her down from the truck even if she didn't really need it.

They had to work together.


	18. finders keepers

They had moved out, travelling in the early morning light with trepidation. They saw only a handful of Biters, like they had all found somewhere else to be and Kathy was not sure if she was relived or alarmed by this. It was late evening when the SUV pulled ahead and around a corner to shoot up a dirt road.

"Thank god" she sighed "This is it. The B&B"

They took off after the SUV Douglas was driving hell for leather, the fading light alarming them all as Biters in the dark are not easy targets… humans are for them instead. She was just relived they had not met any resistance, not able to voice it for the fear of jinxing them. Now as they all pulled up she held her tongue one more time.

"Sweep" she said instead, motioning for her team to fan out, weapons raised as their Heddlu SWAT training kicked in and soon they were calling out from different areas that it was clear.

Just like that.

Now the anticlimax was tinged with sadness. No one else had made it here? She walked through the lovely old colonial style house with wonder, taking in all the bedrooms, open fire and huge living area. It was as she remembered.

"OK … we get in, get locked down and first light is a sweep outside then we unpack!" Ghost was taking control of everyone and she didn't' really care, following Douglas to the kitchen area to see what they could find for some food that did not require trips to and from the bus. Not when they had no idea how secure they were from Biters. The fridge was long since gone, Douglas opening it and making a noise before slamming it hard. Then the pantry gave up it's bounty of tined fruit and baked beans, spaghetti … even some tins of stew that had him grinning as he shook them at her "Look. Stew!"

"Well … I could eat it cold with my fingers about now" she sighed, looking around the huge communal kitchen used to accommodating several people at once. He had been right … this was a good place to hunker down for winter.

She then turned and left him humming to himself as he tried the gas stove and found it to be working, hopefully more than half a bottle of gas out there on the shed that held the tanks. She walked along the corridor to the room she had shared with him so long ago, opening the door to see that it had not yet been claimed. Felt silly but … also nice to place her flat jacket on the bed, claiming this as hers.

"Awwww, I wanted this one" Elvira said in the doorway "Away from the kids."

"Sorry … this is the one we shared before … feels right to have it again" Kathy smiled at the woman who was pouting dramatically "The one across the landing it still free I think … and it has a hot tub if I recall."

Elvira lit up, taking off to see for herself while Kathy looked over to her left to find her husband there and he laughed as he scolded "There is no hot tub. It's a bathtub with jets isn't it?"

"I know but it got rid of her. She will get me back later I am sure but… finders keepers" she winked and he laughed, stepping closer.

"And I am lucky I found you that day in the cheese section" he said huskily "we did it Kat. We got them here. We can dig in, wait this out … can't last that long right? A few months for the army to come though and clear them out now the snow is melting?"

"I hope so … I can't imagine us lasting more than a winter … no like this. God… hopefully a few months. Yes. They have to send troops though right? England? I mean … we can't all be gone." She leaned into him feeling the warmth of him, the winter months would lock out any help but come spring… come spring there would be Americans all over the place with their automatics and flame throwers or whatever.

God .. the mere thought of this lasting more than six months seemed impossible.

Surely not.


	19. cold

"Snow!"

Kathy groaned as she shifted in the bed. It has been two weeks since settling here and the kids were starting to find their voices, tearing about without a second thought for those still wanting their beauty sleep at … oh god. Kathy peered out from the covers at the clock ticking quietly by the bed to see that it was after ten actually. Someone had slept in.

She rolled over to find Douglas already up, the warm buzz of their lovemaking still there deep in her gut. The reconnection between them had been electric, this new life brilliant and as she lay there she grinned as she listened to the laughter.

Then the faint scream.

Kathy ran from the bed, grabbing one of the many rifles hung up on high pegs along the hallway where little ones cannot reach them but Grups can, slamming outside to find the kids standing there with open mouths as Sally ran towards them from the creek out the back, still screaming.

Blood.

Damn it. She ran for her with her bare feet sinking into the snow with each bound, then past her as the woman ran for the safely of the house where others were spilling out to defend and snatch the children inside. She found Ghost on the shoreline with his gun still in his hand, breathing heavily as he aimed at the water and the Biters writhing in it.

Oh no.

"ELVIRA" she screamed with horror and rage seeing the familiar hair rolling in the water as Ghost shook himself from his reverie and aimed again, this time catching her head behind her ear and the head whipped back, the body now rolling down the water with the two Biters on her.

"Shit" Kathy gasped, looking around "Who else wss with you. GHOST! WHO ELSE!"

"Tim" he croaked, waving the gun downriver "She tried to hook him back once they attacked. Came out of the water like fucking crocodiles or something … we didn't … I mean … shit."

"Are you bit?" she demanded grabbing his arm "Ghost… Garry. Are you bit?"

He turned to her. Holding out his arms and moving them around "No. no ma'am."

She stood a moment longer, letting her heart calm a bit then she nodded "So the blood on her was from Elvira?"

"Blood?" he frowned then his face changed and he started to run for the house as she cursed and turned to follow him. They ran. They found Douglas standing on the top step of the back door, his gin unwavering gas he aimed at Sally, refusing to let her enter the house. Kathy was sobbing softly as she knew what had to be done, the blood dripping down the woman's arm into the pristine white snow was pumping too fast for a scratch.

"Where are you bit" she finally asked, Sally turning to her with wide eyes.

"Sally" Ghost said softly "She asked a question. Is it a bite?"

She held out her hand then looked at her wrist with surprise like she didn't know she was bitten, staring at the large bite to her flesh, the missing hunk large. You could see bone. Her other hand went to cover her huge stomach as her almost due baby kicked inside.

"Oh. Oh… no" she whimpered looking at Kathy then saying inanely as she started to step towards her "You are in your nightgown."

Kathy didn't have time to be cold, didn't have time to look down at herself or even respond as Douglas' gun barked, the woman's head whipping back in an eerily similar way to Elvira's.

.

.

.

.

Mark was sitting with little Harry who was looking over his uncle's shoulder at the newborn baby that had bene cut form it's mother by an enraged Kathy. Her swift action had birthed the child within minutes of his mother's death. They were all in shock as everyone moved to secure the house and scan the area for any Biters that may have come ashore. Whatever had happened, it had caused many of the things to wash downstream and they could only what as a large lump washed past at regular intervals.

"The snow … might have been too heavy for an old bridge and it collapsed. These things are simply walking off it" Robbie pondered "They seem to have base things they do, no real thought though. Like sheep … just follow the leader?"

"I don't know and at this point I do not care" Douglas spat as he turned to see Kathy returning from the bedroom, now fully dressed and bundled up, her feet still stinging from the barefoot run in the snow. God, it was like running over broken glass. For what.

To be too late.

She sat heavily and shoved her feet towards the fire, even as she knew it would sting. Douglas sat and took her feet in his lap and started to massage them as she moaned softly, giving into the lovely pain.

"I … the kids need to find a way to grieve this. Maybe we do something like… ah…" Sierra sighed and stopped talking, shrugging as she really had no idea how to handle this … thing.

"They write letters to her and we send them up the chimney. Tell them Santa came in the snow, why the snow was red … she is with him now helping him because he needed extra help for Christmas or some shit. Let them get used to the fact she is not coming back" Geoff suggested.

"Elvira? Tim?" Kathy huffed "They went too?"

"Biteys got them" Harry said from Mark's arms, the little man reminding them he was in the room "There is no Santa."

Kathy let her head roll back to stare at the ceiling.

No.

No Santa Clause. Wishes do not come true.

Not here.


	20. damn

"Eighteen of us" Douglas said as he watched his wife move around their bedroom. She was hunting through the drawer for something and slipped whatever it was into her pocket. Probably some tampons. She must be cycling or something "I mean … to lose three people just like that… in a heartbeat… Jesus."

"The gate was open too. I ran straight to them, I didn't stop to close it" she spun to face him "They were not just not expecting the attack … no one was watching. They were all in a world of their own … what the fuck were they even doing beyond the fences? Christ … one sleep-in and look what happens"

"Hey… you needed it, you know you are overly tired" he scolded gently, reaching for her with concern, "I've noticed the power surges and the sudden dips in your energy even if no one else has. I know you Kathy you are burning yourself out at this rate!"

She snorted as she leaned back to rub her face, knowing he was right. She had to slow down, start eating better and controlling herself more. They had to get through this, had to be OK. "I gotta pee."

Douglas let her go into the bathroom of their suite, turning to walk back down the hallway to see if everyone was OK. He felt something was wrong with Kathy and hoped that sooner or later she would feel like talking about it. With everything going on he knew it was a freaking horror show but he needed to be on the same page. This habit of not talking was the thing that started to divide them in the first place. Christ, takes a bloody Zombie Pandemic to get talking? He thought they were doing well, the least few weeks they had really started connecting again… for the last couple of months actually … and now … now here she was pulling away. Almost three months into god knows how long this was going to take before the cavalry came … they had to be strong a little longer.

Kathy sat on the toilet thinking the same thing. She had to find a way to open up to him, to stop hiding her problems, fears and thoughts from him if they were to keep these people alive. Right now she wanted to slap the shit out of them for not only endangering themselves but everyone else, the gate had clearly been left open. Biters could have overrun them then calmly entered the fucking yard where the kids were playing in the snow. They could have lost a lot more people today. She felt physically ill thinking about it.

Speaking of physically ill, she leaned over and slid her hand into the pocket of her trousers pooled around her ankles and pulled out the two mementoes that were of the handful of items she had slid into her pocket the day they ransacked the pharmacy at the village, keeping them for a rainy day had seemed like a good idea and as she opened the packet he felt the real tendrils of fear.

She could only hope.

.

.

.

.

"We ... we couldn't get the other two back but we buried Sally. Wasn't easy… the ground was colder than a witch's tit and as hard as…. Well. The kids are subdued. We have made them some food and Sierra and Dwight are trying to watch over them, waiting for any questions that might pop out" Danni said as she rose to check the fire "I just can't believe we were suddenly so stupid after being so careful."

"That's what happens. Complacency kills" Douglas nodded as he leaned in the doorway to the kitchen, and then turned as he looked back down the hallway wondering where Kathy was. He wanted her to be part of this talk. She could do a better job of talking them through things. People were never his strong suit, why he preferred animals ya know.

"Well … the fences have been checked and we have someone sweeping the inner and outer yards every hour on the hour … we have to calm the fuck down and take a knee for a moment, yea? We fucked up. it cost us … Jesus. Elvira and Tim. What a major fuckup, but they lived a life where their jobs could have taken them at any point, they knew what they were doing and should have been more alert too. Sally though. What the fuck was she doing out there with them?" Robbie asked. Everyone turned their gaze to Ghost who was crouched over in his chair with his handgun still between his knees.

"Elvira wanted or do a perimeter sweep and Tim offered to go with. I was doing the inner sweep when I heard the gate. It was Sally, looking for Tim. She … what… what's wrong with the baby?" Ghost hissed as Mark looked down and made a noise of alarm as the baby in his arms started to convulse.

Douglas rose and grabbed for the bundle, the little one barely half an hour old and it ws now clear to everyone that Kathy had not been quick enough. The bullet to his mother's brain has not been swift enough … the infected blood from the bite had reached him before the umbilical cord was cut.

Mark could only howl as Douglas calmly slid a knife into the baby's soft skull, killing it instantly.

In the bathroom down the hall Kathy looked at the stick and cursed softly, placing it next to the other one that had promoted a second opinion.

Great.

Perfect timing after all the trying and letting it go … damn it.

She was pregnant.

Then she heard the crying as Mark wailed for his losses.

What the hell?


	21. find some hope

Kathy did not tell of her little passenger, staying quiet as everyone mourned the loss of the little one that had only lived for such a short time. She felt it would be crass to do so. Besides. She was still not sure how she felt about this, it was something she needed time with. When they had reversed the Vasectomy and the first miscarriage followed… she started to wonder if this was god's way of telling her she was not right for that job. She had been unbelievably confused with him agreeing to finally try a reversal in the first place. Now… six years later … was this even real? Felt … strange.

They buried to poor little mite with Sally, digging only part of the grave up to place the tot in and then left Dwight to his grieving as everyone went back to pretending to be busy. Kathy was as well, Ghost feeling strangely emotional so he followed her as a child might follow his mother while trying not to grizzle with his fingers in his mouth.

Kathy was sitting in the SWAT vehicle checking the gauges when the radio crackled, both of them freezing as it clicked and then a familiar voice came over the speakers "Is anyone out there?"

Ghost reached for the radio as Kathy gaped with mute shock. "Andy Pandy? That you?"

"Ghosty?"

Ghost grinned with glee as he settled, the mood lifting instantly as he found someone else out there still alive "Andy. How you doing bud?"

"Getting there. Found this working radio and been playing for a few days…ow, I will!" he yelped, a voice in the background faint and female asking something "Listen, my … friends want to know if you are alone or managed to remain in a bunch?"

Kathy placed her hand over the radio before Ghost could answer, looking in deep into his eyes as she whispered "Others could be listening too. Keep it vague."

Ghost nodded "We were a handful, became an armful, almost a handful again."

"I hear that" Andy huffed "I picked up some, lost some, picked up more and then we split into two groups to go separate ways. Listen, can't give a location because… well… others can be listening to us right now right?"

"He always was smart" Kathy said softly.

"Right" Ghost replied, nodding at her "We are near that case where the school bus was burnt out with a sheep carcass in the back seat the first on the scene were dumb enough to think it was a kid."

"Ewwwwwwww" Andy wailed "That smell lasted in my nostrils for days!"

Kathy and Ghost both laughed softly, then Andy said "I am more over at the case where the woman murdered her husband with the golf clubs."

Kathy and Ghost leaned back as she said to him "Shit. That's … over a day in the other direction. I wonder how they managed that .. they must have gone under the… right."

"What?"

She took the radio "Andy, it's Swanson. Did you go Weevily on us?"

Laugher came over the radio as only a reference he used sometimes was recognized and he managed to choke out with glee "Yeah, I have gone full Weevil. We move safer that way. Listen … the battery is dying so … be strong and … best of luck Ma'am."

"And you too Andy. Be careful, make sure you have back-up places and supplies" she smiled.

"Don't worry, I got a notebook that helps with that. That man thought of everything, must have bug-out locations all over Wales the gammy bastard" Andy said then sighed "Yes, I will ask love. Listen … have you guys heard anything from them?"

Kathy knew what he was asking and her heart fell as this meant they had not heard from Torchwood either. She sighed, then said softly "No. But like you said, he's a gammy bastard, so is that Great Coat wearing sexpot. I have no doubt they are still running as well."

"I hope so boss" Andy said, then his voice faded away. His battery clearly done.

"Lei's record this channel and check it every now and then when the battery is being checked" Ghost whispered, pulling over a pad form the dashboard "He might find another battery one day."

"Agreed" she sighed, settling back to watch the kids running around in front of the vehicle.

"What's wrong?" Ghost asked, looking at her closely "Something else is chewing at you."

She snorted and rolled her eyes then he caught up to his words and laughed, leaning back to let out the nervousness of the day with laughed than petered out to a dry sob, his hands going to his face as he scrubbed at his eyes and flopped back, his hands falling to his lap.

"We can't look back" Kathy finally broke the silence, "We can only strive to keep moving forward. It's the only way we can survive this. Push on, move forward and don't look back."

"Agreed, don't look back and maybe the Biters can't get us" Ghost snorted as he rose and went to leave "But you know … sometimes seeing it coming for you can make you move faster."

"Or stumble" she corrected and he nodded slipping out to chase the kids with a lighter heart.

Kathy just didn't know how to feel … about everything.


	22. meltdown

_Winter is upon us, the snow so deep we can hardly get to the barn and back. The men are doing a good job of keeping it shovelled but some days we have to call uncle and admit we are snowed in. It shows no sign of leaving though ... we should be through the worst of it but… it keeps coming._

_Douglas still doesn't know about my 'passenger' and each time I try to tell him I find us … (word smudged out and replaced with) shagging … instead. My libido is all over the place, who knew pregnancy could do that? It's like… I look at him and boom… I want him. Last night I finally told him only to hear a snore in reply. God … it's getting obvious with my belly looking like I had a three course meal or something. I work out like hell but can't hide it anymore._

_Someone is gonna twig sooner or later._

_I will tell him today._

_It will be five months since we got here so … I really have to get on it._

.

.

.

.

Kathy found her husband in the barn, working on the snow blower that had not worked since they got here. She settled on the bales of straw, posed her best side and cleared her throat "Douglas. I need to talk to you."

He looked up, a smear of grease across one cheek and grunted, sitting back in his heels to wipe his hands with a cloth as he asked "Is this about that bloody scrap hole again? The ground is fucking frozen and the snow too deep. A compost is not my…"

"No" she cut him off, not wanting this to dissolve into an argument as he was clearly frustrated. This was not a good time, she had picked unwisely. "I just… I just want to say… I miss you sometimes. I am glad you are here and … later when we are both in the right mood… we really need to talk about the future."

"Yeah" he rose and pointed to the back of the barn "Like the gym they are building. You used to go to the gym every morning before work, sometimes before coming home too. You lived for the adrenaline. You need to go help them and let me get on with this. I need this working and you need to get that body back into shape."

"Excuse me?" she gaped.

"I didn't want to say but … babe. You are so out of shape. Could you even outrun a Biter these days? God, we've not been here five months until Friday and look at you. Gone full slob" he laughed without looking up to see her horror plainly etched across her face "And as for that hair. God. Ever since I've known you that hair was always perfectly braided now it looks like you've been living rough in central park. God… someone from a distance might see you bringing up the rear and shoot you thinking you are one of those Biters about to attack us and shoot you… it's terrible Can't someone help you with that?"

She felt the blood draining from her face as a roaring started deep in her eardrums and she straightened up, rising to look down at him "Well … that's lovely. So I am fat, my hair is a mess and …what. I am so unattractive you shag me every time we are alone so you don't have to look at me? Or are they pity fucks for the fat bitch?"

He looked up at her with shock "Wha… what?"

She placed her hands on her hips and said in a low tone "Well now… maybe I will take Elvira's room and you can have the bed all to yourself, don't have to fuck me to get me to shut up and go to sleep right?"

"Kat" he rose to face her, his hands out at his sides in surrender "I didn't mean… hey. I am in a foul mood, you know my mouth runs… I didn't mean it. Of course I find you attractive… KAT!"

Kathy strode from the barn with the sound of blood blood cascading in her ears, her vision blurred by tears and a total meltdown in progress. She had never felt so out of control. She wanted to shoot something. Preferably him. Fat. God, so he has noticed her belly but didn't even consider the fact there has been shagging every night and no periods? Christ, she married a dickhead.

She sat at her dresser and stared at the face of an ugly fat cow. She picked up a cloth and wiped the lipstick off he hadn't noticed either. An attempt to make this something special fucked-up again. She stared at herself for a long time. This hair she had done like this most of her life. Ever since her first summer job as a teenager, the first attempt getting it straightened only to see she looked weird. The hairdresser suggesting plaits. Look at them, tiny ropes of power. That's how she always saw them. Now the remains looked sad. Like the rest of her. Medusa's snakes no more.

Kathy picked up the scissors and took a deep breath, starting to hack them off at shoulder length, letting them fly back and start to unravel.

He wanted a slothenly fat cow… he could have this one then.


	23. surprise motherfucker

Mary and Danni stood looking at their boss as she sat by the fire in the kitchen, feeding wood into it and staring at the flames. The stench of burnt hair was dissipating now the long locks were finally burnt and she settled back to place her feet closer.

"Wow … I didn't know your hair was so …" Mary struggled, then said "Springy."

"Yeah. Neat-o right?" Kathy said sullenly "So black I might as well shape it into an afro."

"I like it" Danni finally said "It's wild. Like you. Nothing wrong with some wild hair boss… looks powerful. You look like you need to get a whip out and round up some cattle or something in tight pants. Damn … I think you look sexy!"

Kathy snorted "not according to my bastard. He says I am fat and dower."

"Oh come on" Danni said softly "Preggers is not fat!"

Kathy swung to stare at her and she leaned closer "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Yeah. I found out I was the day… the day we lost El and the others. Yeah. Been trying to tell him ever since but he deflects conversations with sex. Apparently I am now to ugly for him to keep that up so … anyone want to help me move into El's room?"

"Aw… shit" Danni huffed "its hormones. He… he doesn't know how big of a prick he is being if you don't let him measure himself"

"I don't know if I have the energy to fight anymore. We were on the verge of the D talk when this all went tits up. It's been seven months since it all blew up in our faces and .. well. At first we focused on surviving. Now… I have to focus in the future. And maybe... maybe it's not with him." Kathy explained, then looked over to find Dwight listening at the table. "What do you think?"

"If it were me… I would want to know the level of dickheadedness … I would want a chance to atone. You… you didn't say for Mark, right? You held back so we could grieve too… if I haven't swapped shifts with Elvira that day …" Dwight cleared his throat and let his finger trace the pattern on the table cloth "Thank you. Thank you for that but… my wife's brother was gone in the beginning. Now Mark's sister… his baby nephew …. Elvira…. Tim … No need for you to lose your partner too. Life is precious."

Douglas entered the house, followed by a dower looking Ghost and Kathy glanced between them wondering what was going on. Douglas appeared … disheveled. Ghost had been what… shaking him?

"Tell her!" Ghost barked, making everyone jump a little and Kathy tuned to face him.

"Kathy. I … I was having an affair. Before. I … I was even considering the future with her instead of … I don't know. I still loved you but…"

"Loved. Past tense." Kathy pointed out "So … all this time … I've been the consolation prize?"

"NO!" he shouted, flinging his arms into the air "I chose you. The week before… I took a long hard look at us. Our life and the fact there would never be children, never been that aspect we planned for. My vasectomy reversal clearly was for nothing. I came to realize it didn't matter and… I was in the early stages of breaking things off with her when it all went tits up. God. I don't know… the woman that came into my clinic for me that day was the one I knew so well. This one… I don't know who you are anymore."

"For fucksake" Dwight muttered rubbing his face.

"I have not changed. I have adapted like we all had to!" she said calmly, "And you.."

"What the hell did you do to your hair!" he blurted as he finally noticed the fuzzy almost fro.

"Oh.. got me hair done and you didn't notice? Typical" she snorted with amusement "Since you told me my hair looks slothenly… I cut it off. This is going to get a trim too. Think I will go full afro. What do you think?"

"Kathy!" he gasped, his hands reaching out then dropping to his sides again "Wow. I … I have never seen your natural hair before. Springy."

"So you tell her you were cheating on her, considering leaving her and now you are focused on her fucking hair?" Dwight growled deep in his chest, "Christ man!"

"Kathy… I am sorry I blew up at you. It was uncalled for and the cheap shots were sheer piggery. I am sorry, you know I always go low when tired and hungry. Like a fucking child. I am sorry" he pleaded sliding his chair closer and reaching for her hands "Kitty Kat. I love you, I do. I chose you. I chose this … I accepted that you are more to me than being a dad."

"Wow, aren't you in for a surprise in about four months" she snorted softly "I'm not fat you fucktard. I am preggers! Have been since before we got here I think!"

Douglas sat still as he stared at her then he said the stupidest thing he could possibly think of.

"Is it mine?"


	24. bitter sweet

"Are you serious?" Kathy rose from her chair and looked at him with her shoulders slumped in defeat, then she nodded "Right then. No. It's not. Its mine. Fuck you!"

She walked from the room as he stood there confused with himself, her … everything. Dwight rose and followed her to the bedroom where she was starting to pack things. She was serious. She was moving into Elvira's room.

"He doesn't mean it" Dwight counselled, her grabbing her arms "He is being a dick because he can't compute. Give him a second. Please… he is just… in shock."

"How can he even say that!" she wailed.

"When I was told about my first… I asked if it was going to be a baby" Dwight snorted. "Like, what the fuck else would it be? Stupid man. I meant to ask boy or girl. Sometimes the brain has a fart. Come on. Sit, breathe. Let him come find you and … give him a shot at this. He wanted to be a dad so bad, accepted it would never happen, especially now. Then boom. A lot of shit in the last six months or so love… give him a chance."

"Kat?"

She turned her head to see him in the doorway, Dwight patting her shoulder gently as he went to leave and as he passed Douglas in the doorway he punched him in the shoulder. Hard. Douglas yelped and rubbed at it knowing he deserved that.

He sat next to her on the bed "Are you… god. What a stupid question. Of course you are sure. That's the bump… god. I called you fat!"

"I have been trying to tell you… each time it sort of gets lost in the fight to just… live. Also, deep down… there was the terrible thought that once I say it out loud, it will stop being true. You know? I might lose it like I lost all the other attempts, be a failure at something else. After losing Sally and her baby… god. Dwight has been taking it hard, his decision not to be on watch that day … he still thinks he could have saved her… saved the baby. The little boy is an orphan now, just his uncle Mark and us. Is a baby the right thing to bring into this madness?"

Douglas nodded morosely then said gently "What else do we live for if not the hope of a tomorrow?"

"So" she said calmly as she turned to fully face him "Was it that assistant rushing home to her husband and kids the night it all went tits up?"

"Does it matter?"

"No. Not really."

.

.

.

.

.

Everyone was excited and delighted when Douglas proudly made the announcement, some even feigning surprise even if they had already guessed long before he had ever known. Silly man. Typical. A medical man, didn't see it.

"All those baby things we got for Sally and her boy… well" Mark shrugged and Kathy fought the revulsion at the thought of placing her newborn in the same basinet the baby had laid in as it turned.

"No offence but… I want to make my baby's first bassinette. I would like to try my hand at some wood turning" Douglas said as he nodded in the direction of Dwight "I think I could line it with sheepskin, some natural wood… let's get back to basics. Start as we mean to go on? The world has changed… let's embrace it."

"Sounds good to me" Kathy said with relief "Besides… it was his little bassinette. It would seem … wrong."

"Yeah. Yeah, once I said it out loud… I want it under my bed a while longer" Marks agreed, smiling over at little Harry who was playing in the floor with the other kids "Sierra, you have been wonderful with Harry. I do appreciate it."

"Henry loves having a readymade twin like the Ks." She shrugged "What's one more. Honestly, we are all one family now love."

"Right, I am going to check the outer perimeter" Dwight rose and painted at Kathy, "You can't do that now we know ya mad mare!"

Kathy grinned and nodded accepting her benching for the time being. Finally having it said out loud made things so much more bearable. Douglas beaming with pride as he promised to take on more of the security work so his wife could settle to enjoy the last trimester or so of her pregnancy. He was now secretly ashamed of himself for not seeing what was right in front of him.

Even if a little angered that she had held back for so long.

.

.

.

.

Kathy sat with Sierra watching the children play, laughter and snow balls as they enjoyed that space between the storm that had passed a few day ago and the next one around the corner.

"Is it just me or is this winter harsher than previous ones?" Sierra asked. "It's like … maybe we didn't notice because we had busy lives, just sucked it up… now we have time we are fucking cold?"

"No… I agree. It is colder … it seems to be settled in too, we should be seeing it gone by now, spring bulbs starting, lambs … it's like… it's in stasis still. Weird." Kathy agreed.

"Well, the thaw must be coming soon. My headaches are getting worse… they always mean a change in the atmosphere. Spring is coming, change is inevitable." Sierra rose and fluffed her skirts, so pretty and dainty beside Kathy in her men's comfortable clothing.

Kathy watched her go inside and wondered if she was too masculine sometimes for her own good.

Was that why he had cheated?


	25. midnight pee

Time moved on, the season slowly showing the first signs of letting go and it was a relief all around as everyone had noticed the winter being too long and too harsh for their liking. If it was like this for this year… what would next year bring?

Kathy was now large, eight month mark and marching. She was stood in the back yard watching the kids with a gun at her too wide hip. She would look every mooring at the big fat thing she had become … no. Not really. That gym had helped and despite the large belly she knew she was still in shape and her arse still looked great form behind. No. She was just feeling a little low today. She really needed something sweet but what little they had left in that regard was being kept for the baby's birth. They wanted to celebrate that in style. Christmas had come and gone with minimal fuss. The kids hadn't known and after adult discussion away from little ears they had all decided not to celebrate it this time.

Next Christmas this would all be a memory right? Next year they would all celebrate at a big town hall or something, eat out at a fancy restaurant. Surely by then some semblance of society would be restored. Right? If only they knew the folly of their false hope. Not like we can tell them though.

Dean was watching her as she watched everyone else. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah. Just thinking … this time next year this will all be a strange memory where we wonder how much is real and how much was a terrible nightmare" she answered.

"This time next year… Christ. I can't even see through past next week." He snorted, rubbing his face "do you think it will really all be over with? The troops are coming and all that?"

She shook her head not wanting to say it out loud. He nodded. Agreeing.

Best not.

"Hey, sandwich?" Danni asked, offering a plate heaped with sandwiches and Kathy hummed happily as she but into one with chicken and lettuce in it. God, she was famished now she had smelt that, hooking a second one and pointing to her stomach as she chewed. Danni laughed and nodded, then headed to the kids. A second plate back in the kitchen for seconds anyway. It was like a game she and Kathy did, Kathy grabbing a second… whatever… and Danni portending to be annoyed even though there was always seconds.

Kathy too another bite, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the sunshine, the laughter and the simplicity of the day.

"Sierra got one of her heads again?" Dean asked Danni as she came back with the empty plate.

"Yeah … she woke with it. Says everything smells funny…. Like burnt rubber" Danni replied as she passed him and he frowned, rising to go inside to check.

That evening she didn't want anything got eat, saying she could not keep it down.

"If she is still like this in the morning I think Doug and I have to examine her" Dean said to Dwight over the table "This is getting too common to be just a headache or migraine. I am starting to worry its blood pressure or something."

"You can try. You know she will only fight you on it. Hates fussing" he repaid, "I wish you would, I am worried too."

Kathy helped with the dishes despite everyone telling her off and by the time she was heading down the hallway to bed she knew the children were heading to bed as well, the twins in with their mother. Dwight on first watch.

She settled into the bed after a hot shower and soon Douglas was in with her, his arms around her as he whispered that the animals were all abed for the night, the livestock too. She snorted happily as she nuzzled into him warm, safe and happy.

.

.

.

.

Something woke her but she could not put her finger on what. She rolled to her husband who had rolled from her in the night, her body hotter these days. He was sleeping peacefully and she wondered if it was one of those weird dreams where you are falling and wake yourself with the fear of it. Instantly forgotten but the fear remains.

Now she needed to pee.

God damn it all to hell!

She slid from the bed and moved to their private bathroom, settling for a pee in the dark, no lights as they were conserving their fuel. Candles too. They were in the habit of all moving around in the dark now, the curtains open to let the moonlight help them.

Well … when there was moonlight like tonight.

She was cold, knew she should have got a dressing gown before coming in here but damn … peeing was a trickle as the baby not only sat on her bladder but was at one of those awkward angles. She smiled and forgave the little beast, rubbing her belly as she hummed in the hopes of sending it to sleep before it moved to a more painful position. Her spine.

She rose and closed the lid.

If it's yellow… let it mellow. Ya know? No need to flush and wake others.

She was moving for the bed when she heard something.

From the next room.

Must be Dwight heading in to bed after the shift change.

She paused to listen and heard something again.

What the hell was that?


	26. damn it

Kathy headed out into the hallway and met Dwight coming out of the bedroom with his second child, grinning at her as he moved the second twin to the other room with all the other children, wanting his side of the bed back.

She whispered goodnight and padded into the kitchen for a drink of milk then realised she was still only in her nightgown. Still bloody cold. God. She would forget her head if it wasn't screwed on. This baby brain was something else.

Ghost sat in the rocking chair, staring out the window at the moonlit yard as he waited for Danni to return from her turn on perimeter sweep. They nodded to one another and she yawned.

She was padding back to the bedroom when she passed Dwight and Sierra's, the sound from in there guttural and she was embarrassed, moving faster as the mere thought of overhearing them making love was… she stopped moving.

It came again.

She turned towards the room and then heard a bellow.

.

.

.

.

Dwight had slid into the warm bed his children had been in moments earlier, cuddling in against his sleeping wife that he had tried hard not to wake. He was worried about her 'heads' as this was going too long and in the morning he would definitely talk to her about letting the docs have a look even if it meant another argument about it. They might be vets but they did have medical training. He let a hand snake aroid her waist to hug her and she moved, making a soft noise of annoyance.

"its cold baby sorry" he whispered nuzzling into her hair.

She growled again, louder this time and he was surprised as she was usually not this annoyed with him. Her headache must be bad. He kissed her and settled.

Sh growled again, a deep grinding sort of one as she started to roll towards him and he wondered if she was going to be sick with the guttural noise and by the time she had rolled to face him he ws laying still, staring at her in the moonlight.

Her eyes seemed unfocused and glassy in the half light and he frowned "Ser? You Ok love?"

She lunged.

He cried out with horror as he pushed off from her, falling from the bed to the floor and she slithered across the bed dafter him. Surprisingly quick as she snaked out her hand and grabbed his ankle while he wss trying got get up using the bed of leverage. His wrist seized with her other hand.

He cried out again, this time kicking his foot and wrenching at his wrist. "Shit, shit, shit"

The door swung open and Kathy was entering in her white nightgown, the candle stick from the hallway where Dwight had sniffed out the candle so as not to wake the kids before moving then left there, above her head as she advanced screaming.

He watched the candlestick's base slam down on his wife's head, bounce as Sierra ignored it and kept coming for him. She wiggled from the bed to the floor and he knew this was a better surface, looking up at Kathy as she tried again, this time the head not sinking into soft bedding and Kathy snarled and growled and swung.

Then there was light, Kathy gone as hands seized Dwight to wrench him away from his assailant, and Ghost slamming the poker from the kitchen fireplace into Dwight's wife's eye socket, putting his full weight into it as Sierra struggled under his body weight.

Danni stepped around him and a single bullet was introduced to Sierra's left eardrum.

Dwight flopped back tired and bereft as the woman he had made children with … a life with… finally died.

Again.

.

.

.

.

"So … from what we agree on…" Dean glanced at Douglas who nodded and let him have the floor "We think she died sometime after the evening meal. Probably before the kids even got in with her. The turning didn't happen until later. Probably, Dwight moving the children out and himself in was what fully awakened the … Biter."

"But… now did she die?" Ghost asked, still shaken.

"Well … given the headaches, the smell thing and the way she went so quietly… we think it was an aneurysm or something. Maybe even a brain tumour… no way to check with what is left of … well. Not enough intact… ya know?" he grimaced rubbing his hands on his pants as he looked at Douglas again who sighed and took over.

"Dwight would have slid in to a still warm body, snuggling in. In a … before… she would simply grow cold and rigor would set in, he would wake to the body being a real body. This… whatever… made her turn." Douglas added.

"But… she wasn't bit!" Danni pointed out, tiring from the window to stare at those at the table "She just… died?"

"That… that is the unsettling part and… we don't really know but… unfortunately, I think whatever caused these things was airborne for a length of time that night. Biters had to start somewhere and I now think it is possible that any of us that were in the town centre and exposed to the airborne …. Whatever… are infected. When we die… we will turn. Regardless of whether we die from a Biter or not." Douglas rose and started to pace "whatever this is… it is widespread and if airborne like it seems to be… well … this is not good news for us."

"Manmade" Ghost said softly to himself as he shook his head "Airborne cotangent."

"Oh god" Danni whispered with horror "we are all going to become one of those things in the end?"

No one spoke now.

Nothing more to add.


	27. telling the kids

Kathy exited the shower, still shaking as she pulled on warm clothing. She sat on the toilet staring into space, then the door to the bathroom opened and Douglas entered with a candle in his hand to add to hers burning on the vanity unit.

"Hey."

She nodded silently in response, still numb to what had happened.

"You OK love? That little one not upset?" he asked concerned for the baby as she had suffered a terrible shock. Not to mention the struggle and he was still shocky as well, the thought that he could have lost her from a danger within.

"I … I don't know" she admitted "What was the scuttlebutt?"

"General consensus is that whatever created the Biters was airborne for a while, while we were racing through London to get out we breathed it in. Right? It didn't turn us like it did the first Biters. Probably already dissipating but enough to infect us on a cellular level. To that end… we are in loose agreement that those of us that were in the city that night are likely carriers or something. When we die… we will turn." He motioned "come on love. Come into the bed, you are frozen."

She settled in the blankets, letting him fuss as he clambered in fully clothed as well, pulling her into his arms to hold tightly.

"So what about the baby" she said after considering "Is the baby infected? Will it be born infected? A Carrier? Or … worse? IS that why Sally's baby turned?"

Douglas froze, this something they had not discussed or even considered, now hanging there in the air. "I … I don't know love. Does this mean Dean is not infected like us? Or are all of us? I don't know. Is it just us? If so ... if this was a man made smart bomb thing … where is the rest of the world?"

"Or did it travel the entirety of the world, moving at light speed and infecting all it found" she shivered "But only humans."

"Ghost thinks it was manmade. Makes sense, some sort of germ warfare that escaped from the lab … we killed ourselves." He rubbed her back to encourage her to relax "Either way… the cause is not the problem. The effect is what we must focus on darling. I think we are right. Deep down… I think Dean is infected too."

"There is no escape" she stated to weep silently, closing her eyes as she gave in. Hormones right?

"And no surrender" he added firmly, holding her tighter as he ignored the tears, letting her have that at least.

.

.

.

.

Dwight was moving slowly, bruised from the meeting with the floor and her hands had left terrible bruises on his wrist and ankle. He sat at the table staring at the kids who were still unaware that their Mama was gone.

For the third time he opened his mouth to speak… but nothing came out and he slumped back in defeat.

Kathy slid into the chair next to him and placed her hand over his, leaning forward "Guys… we need to talk. A big thing happened last night and I need you to be grownups for a moment and listen."

The kids grew still, tiring to her with their innocent faces. She swallowed and took a deep breath.

"You know how Mama has had a bad head for a little while, been poorly like?"

Nods.

"Well … last night… last night … whatever was making her feel poorly got really bad and … guys. Mama passed away. She died."

Silence.

Henry and Harry clung to one another, both starting to cry as the little boys grieved for their respective mothers. Now more connected than ever, both little baby motherless orphans. The other twins, the real ones simply sat staring at Kathy like she was insane.

Beryl took another slice of toast and kept eating, seeming to not understand the conversation at all. It was Manny who finally spoke. "So … she is dead."

"Yes love" Kathy sighed "She… she had to go. The pain was so bad and… she is in heaven now."

Manny stared at her long and hard then said to her in a most adult way "Don't bullshit. She is gone."

Kathy nodded shocked by the anger as Dwight reached out to grip the back of his oldest child's neck. Squeezing gently as he looked at his son "Manfred … she's … mama…."

He looked at his father then his eyes slid to the bruising on the wrist, then back to his father's face and he knew. It broke Kathy's heart to see the little ten … almost eleven as he points out … year old child understood the entirety of the story not being told.

"Right" he finally said to his father "We burry her?"

"Yes. Yes, we do" Dwight sobbed, then got himself together "We … we will do right by her son."

Manny placed his little hand gently over his father's bruised wrist and nodded.

What more could they do?


	28. time

Kathy felt the baby move, kicking as she woke with the need for the loo. She hobbled to the toilet and sat, sighing with relief as she let it all out, then headed back to the bed where Douglas slept on unaware that…. Kathy stopped moving as the baby did something new.

God that hurt.

It had been a week since the Sierra thing … this could not be stress,, right? Kathy did her numbers and wondered if it was time… had she miscalculated by a few weeks? Could be… no telling when this happened, they had some sad 'let's hold on' sex from virtually the moment they started to run from the Biters. It's been what… ten months now since… shit.

She knew she was right… she was starting the long hard day that would hopefully have a positive outcome. Mind you... given the conversations as of late, she was trying to be positive. God. What if it came out… don't. Don't do that. God.

Kathy reached the bed, wadding for real and now she knew the reason for that as well, the pain such a deep low throb as her body readied itself for some real work. "Douglas."

Douglas grunted rolling away from her.

Bastard.

Kathy was leaning against the bedside table and her hand found the nice heavy book she had been reading, throwing it at his head with that pinpoint accuracy of a pissed off woman.

BAM

Douglas shot out of the bed to his felt his hand slamming on in the pistol by his side of the bed as he swung toward the doorway.

"Douglas."

He turned to her, thankfully the gun not swinging as well and he stared.

"Kat?"

"Douglas, Godsake man … it's time!" she snarled totally not in the mood for his brain arts right now.

Finally he seemed to wake up and drop the gun, crawling across the bed to grab her, looking into her face as he asked "What do you need love?"

"Maybe… maybe get Danni and…. Shit" she roared, her knees going weak as she panted through the pain, Douglas turned to run from the room and he re-entered with Danni and Dean. Dean carrying his medical kit and a look of excitement.

"Let's get ready to rumble" Dean said excitedly as he knelt by the bed, Kathy still half-pie squatting next to it now glaring at him as she wondered if she could get across the bed to the gun Douglas had dropped on it. Not to kill anyone mind… maybe just a kneecap the excited fucker reaching between her legs to touch … "Hair! I feel hair!"

"No shit, you hand is up my wife's …" Douglas stated to snarl as he advanced.

"No.. I mean… the head. I feel the baby's head" Dean said without turning around so he never knew that Douglas had in fact reached for the gun himself and was now torn, finally dropping it again to watch as Kathy groaned and pushed, bringing forth their son. The hours of labour she expected did not come, the stress of the last few days quickening the ordeal.

Their son.

A boy.

Douglas was on his knees next to Dean, holding his son as he wept with joy and relief. The baby awake, aware and his eyes bright. Alive. So alive. So clearly not infected with anything. He hoped.

Kathy bore down and cried out as she sent the afterbirth to the floorboards, now upset as she looked at the mess that had been made and the people that were walking in it, crouching in it, kneeling in it as she stood there like an extra in a movie or something.

"Come on love" Dwight said softly, his arm going around her as he carefully lifted her off her feet "To hell with the water rationing … you need a nice warm bath after that. Maybe they will remember that one needs you tit, yeah?"

Kathy found out he had started running it when she first went into labour, the water was lovely and warm, not too hot and as she lay there groaning though her body's adjustments now happening Douglas finally remembered her, entering the bathroom with the baby and looking at his naked wife in the tub with shock, the large man kneeling by the tub gently cleaning her.

"Dwight?"

"Put that baby on her breast, it needs to latch on as soon as possible, get the goodness of the first milk" Dwight demanded, not looking up as he continued to gently wipe her face with facecloth.

Douglas did so, watching her joy as she held her child and he felt like shit for not being here by her side sooner. He placed a hand on his son's back as he watched the little one give up on the breast in favour of laying there staring intently at the woman now gently singing to him with joy.

His mother.

Dwight watched from the other side of the tub and frowned as he wondered if Douglas was capable of being a good father here, he clearly lacked something in the partner stakes.

Dwight sighed and rose, his heart not as heavy as it had been over the last week. His wife was gone, the mother of his children gone but … this was a new life. A fresh start.

Dwight would be there.


	29. time to move on?

"Oliver?"

"No, too Thomas Tank engine… any of those names make me think of trains now" she sighed softly as she breastfed their son and Douglas sighed, then frowned.

"Trains. There's a station near here right?"

"All electric now. Unless you know of a steam engine sitting around with a full load of coal attached, not gonna go anywhere anytime soon" she didn't' even bother hiding her annoyance as he tried to find way to travel. Seems the arrival of their son made him jumpy in the most annoying kind of way. He wanted to move.

She didn't.

Even if deep down she knew that they had to, she wanted a few weeks of bonding first thanks muchly. God. Was it so much to ask for her bloody huha to be allowed to go back to normal size before she started swinging aroid fake balls too?

"Well … I can't think anymore" he flopped back on the bed, then grinned as he reached out to stroke a tiny little red cheek "So handsome. Yes you are!"

""Robert? Bobby for short?" Douglas said after a while hen added "Or Robbie? Berty?"

"Berty is for Albert isn't it?" she asked drowsily then snorted as she yawned "I like that though. Berty."

"Me too. A little Berty Boy. Albert" he nodded as he smiled, rubbing that little head now. "Al."

"Yeh. Al. Yeh" she mumbled, slipping into sleep and he carefully extracted the tot to burp and place in the little crib by the bed, sitting back to marvel at the wondrous creation in a world of doom. This led to a morose moment, then he settled on contentment.

Dwight appeared in the doorway and Douglas quickly covered his wife and went to the doorway, annoyed that once again that man was hovering. Seemed to do that a lot lately, especially around Kathy. For some reason Douglas felt more than slightly threatened by this.

"Sorry Doug, was looking for you" the man said, immediately making Douglas feel silly for thinking it was about Kathy "Dean noticed one of the cows in the field nearby in calf or whatever, went over to check on it and… wants you to come look at something."

Douglas looked back at Kathy then flowed Dwight across the field to where Dean stood next to a cow calmly chewing on a mouthful of grass. When they got even Dean motioned for Douglas to look around the other side and when he did he felt physically ill. The cow had been attacked, partially eaten… as was the calf. It was visible in the wound, a partially devoured leg hanging out as the sightless calf stared into deathless eternity.

"What… I mean… why is she still alive? Jesus" he choked out.

"That's what is freaking us out. A Biter got to her, she got away… half her gut is gone, part of the calf … she should have bled out right? No blood. Do you see any?" Den hissed.

"Wounds are not quarterized... they look …"

"Rigor" Dean agreed, rubbing his face as he and Dwight watched Douglas approach the cow to look again. He tentatively reached into the cow and drew his hand back with horror.

"Cold. Dead cold meat. Jesus… it's a … but not attacking" he muttered.

"Not meat eaters by nature… not looking for our flesh" Dean surmised "But it shows animals can be infected. Maybe as carriers?"

"Christ on Crack!" Dwight hissed "Don't' tell the others. The pet dogs… those stupid cats… we do NOT want panic to incite some euthanasia in front of the kids."

"Dwight is right. Yeah, we … let's just chew on this a while. God, what a term to ... sorry" Dean grimaced "I didn't mean it like that."

"Also… we need to be more aware if we are taking a sheep or cow from a field to check it for bites, lucidity … life." Douglas pondered "We have to assume Biters are not adverse to eating everything and anything."

"So… our food source might run out. If this is to be considered … we cannot just pick up livestock along the way for food … we need to look at sustaining a herd ourselves" Dean pointed out.

"Well … we need somewhere else to be for that. No way can we have a herd of cows, or flock of sheep here… might as well ring a dinner bell … or put up a welcome sign for marauders" Dwight snapped, "Christ… we are still too close to the action. We need to go farther into the boondocks.

"Agreed" Douglas said surprised to find himself on the same page as this man he secretly envied for his ability to make Kathy smile these days.

"Well … let's get a map, see if Kathy can sit in with that magical notebook of hers and maybe we can find a seclusionary haunt that might last us through the next winter?" Dean asked.

"Agreed."


	30. plans of mice and men

They had looked at maps, checked the weird writing in the notebooks and then decided to just go with their gut. "Well, we will need somewhere for stock. These farms look good but everyone else will be thinking the same thing." Dwight tapped the map.

"Maybe… we do know there are other fractions getting around out there I agree with D-Dog" Dean said with a nod of his head "Maybe somewhere more in the country than pastoral land."

"What about this area here … the B&B was a good idea, some other holiday areas or batches maybe?" Kathy suggested "Like… anything like that?"

"There is something I remember from an old case… it was really … do you remember that guy that drowned and we investigated because of the large insurance policy?" Ghost tapped the map "remember? Turned out it was a natural death but the meth lab in that little barn wasn't so good?"

"Yes!" Danni turned to face him with excitement "There was a couple of cabins we saw from the boat… not seen from the road. We didn't know they were there until we got onto the lake!"

"Well… if we thought of this, someone else might have too." Dean interjected, "I suggest someone goes ahead and checks before we uproot the entire shebang."

"Dean has a point" Danni agreed "I think maybe Ghost and me go ahead on the motorbikes, take a gander and then we will know better what to do."

"And if it's occupied, or if you don't come back or…"

"Hey!" Danni held up her hands "Of we don't' come back we got ate. Or captured. Clearly it is not safe then!"

"Then why risk two?" Geoff stood as Mary tried to grab for him, his anger evident "Why don't we just stay here. It's been a good place, we've been here ten months without a problem … Christ… it will soon be a year since the whole thing kicked off … it can't last much longer."

"Don't be a twat!" Geoff laughed "this is the new world ya idiot. Look around … this is it. We need to get somewhere more permanent. At least more secluded. We are too close to London and Cardiff … we need to go inland, look for somewhere we can bunk down for the next winter at least."

"At least" Robbie finally spoke, then rose and walked to the window to stare out at the children paying in the garden with Mark watching over them, Manny looking tough as well as he pretended to be on watch too.

"We have to be serious here… this is not an ideal thing sure but … we have to move forward until we either hit a wall or find somewhere that feels sifter than this" Kathy sighed, adjusting the baby who had gone limp with sleep.

"Here love, give Al to me" Douglas offered and she looked at him with relief as she rose to go pee. God, she had thought after the birth it would go away but she forgot the need to drink so much fluid for breastfeeding.

She sat the loo and went over the different arguments but knew their decision had to be to move forward, check out that lake and the houses there. Somewhere deep down she knew this was their best bet for a winter coming.

God. A year… a year since it all went to hell. Really?

She didn't know how to feel about that.

.

.

.

.

.

Ghost went while they were still arguing, knowing the way and by the time they realized the sound of the bike was fading in that direction it was too late for Danni to follow. Well… that tears it right?

He returned by dawn's first light. Tired, excited and full of news

A camp. There was a camp there and the cabins were good, someone had been there and recently left. There were fences, there were hedgerows to hide it from the road and the lake seemed to be fresh water. Clear and he could see fish when standing on the end of the pier.

Kathy felt excited as they packed up and moved out within the next 24 hours, heading into an unknown future where the Lake Compound offered at least the hope that someone else had been there, others had felt it safe and it was clearly free to use.

As they barreled along the road Kathy wondered who had been there before them, leaving probably within months … maybe even weeks of their pending arrival.

Of course… she never thought it might be who is was.


	31. must learn to listen

"There's even a boat!" Danni yelled as she ran to the end of the pier to look into it "Hey… it's in working order!"

Kathy ignored everyone who was wandering about, heading for the larges cabin where she entered and stopped, looking around with surprise. Bunk beds in a back room but the entire front of the place was one big open plan room that had toys and clearly children's things in it. Like it had been a place Peter Pan and his Lost Boys had stopped at. She was confused, walking through the place then exiting as everyone else entered now.

She walked around the back to find a generator shed, the generator inside it looked in working order as well. Then she walked around the side to find the remains of a second shed that seemed to have burnt down. Wow. They had been here for a while?

She was walking around the fence line while Douglas had the baby when she discovered that it was made of car bonnets all welded together to form a large metal wall. Clever. Then she saw it.

OWEN HARPER WAZ HERE

She stared for the longest time. Owen Harper. Doctor Owen Harper? She then noted something scratched into the paintwork and she felt it with her fingertips as her heart stopped. It was a T. Someone had carved a T under the name.

Torchwood.

She sat back and laughed softly to herself as somehow, believe it or not… she had found the trail of Torchwood themselves. Still looking after her.

She returned to the house to find that some other evidence had been found in the form of a…. yeah. A notebook.

"Oh my god" she gasped, snatching it with glee. She opened it to familiar writing.

**_To whoever finds this, please take this place we leave behind and be safe. There are maps and some suggestions for nearby a food source and a few places to avoid._ **

**_Good luck_ **

She read it twice and laughed softly, leaning back to let herself really laugh for the first time in ages before she managed to choke out "Torchwood."

"You are shitting me!" Dwight said as he grabbed the book "You mean … the ones who told you to run, led us to that phone box and the notebook that took us to the house before we moved onto the B&B … are you seriously telling me we just missed them?"

"Unbelievable!" she smiled "After a year… after a year they are still guiding us whether they know it or not."

.

.

.

.

"Right. So, what we think .." Ghost shifted in the seat and then continued "There has been some sort of fight here… another nearby in a field. Deaths, someone came and attacked them, they fought back and won. They moved on, I don't think because of this but because they maybe grew in size? Wanted somewhere more remote?"

"Seems plausible" Danni had the book "There was another colony nearby that didn't listen and seems they tried to …tame?... keep Biters as pets or something. It talks of where the bodies were burned and warns not to eat or drink anything near that creek. Jesus… so … the water can be contaminated?"

"Shit" Dean held his hand out for the book.

"One day… one day I will see them again and when I do … I know wherever, whenever… I will finally be in a place where nothing can touch us" Kathy said softly to herself as she watched everyone looking over the notebook and it's different chapters.

Look at this.

.

.

.

.

.

The group that had gone to check out the other colony warned about included Kathy. Douglas did not even try to stop her and she felt some gratitude there that he recognized her need to regain some control. The baby had somehow made her feel less than the boss and this made her take the reins again.

They exited the SWAT vehicle to look around and the burned down buildings, graves and weird things scattered about made them all feel like they were walking over their own graves. Ghost knelt and picked up a brochure reading it out loud "And so said the lord, when there is no more room in hell the dead shall walk the earth"

"Great. They thought God would save them" Derrick said as he took the brochure off Ghost to look at it too.

"God. There is no room for him here, not in this place of doom" Ghost shook his head, "clearly… clearly any god would have left us to our own destruction by now."

"But still ... someone buried everyone they could, burned what they couldn't" Mark pointed out "There is still humanity, even in the middle of hell on earth."

"Yeah .. but whoever did that is probably the one who killed them!" Ghost threw his arms out as Kathy looked around, then knew deep down the truth.

"They were all infected. Their pet Biters got loose… we are standing on a cleaning site" she turned to look around some more "They all turned. Someone had to put them down and clear them away."

"Torchwood?"

"Well … who else could do this so clinically? Yeah. I think so. Why they said not to come here. Come on let's leave before we touch something or do something that might put us at risk here" she headed towards the vehicle without looking back, now angry that she hadn't taken the time to read the notebook better.

It did say to stay away.

Do not wake the dead.

They Bite!


	32. love seats

"So … this is where they stopped for a while?" Dwight asked, walking with Kathy around the edge of the lake and they came to an overgrown area. He stopped walking and reached into a pile of brambles, pulling at the bushes and weeds until he unearthed a seat.

"Well… look at that" she said with surprise, settling on the seat as the warm sun belted down on them. Dwight sat next to her, checking the baby asleep in the little pram they had found as if left for them.

"You know… someone put this here just for this" Dwight said happily "Someone knew the walk around the lake was too long for someone who was not at full capacity and so they placed this seat, I bet there are a couple more along the walk. Someone loved someone so much they did this for them. Maybe for just this. To sit and enjoy the warmth while the kids play or something."

Kathy closed her eyes and let her hair fall back as she considered "I like that idea. Someone loved someone so much they gave them these little stopping points."

"You think it was them?" Dwight asked, rising from the seat as the little one snuffled and he clucked softly while rocking the pram.

"Torchwood? Nah. You know… the few times I saw the Captain and the Welshman together … no. I think if the Captain did something like this for his fella… well silly but in my mind he would have painted them in bright rainbows to be a dork. Ya know? Gay and proud?"

Dwight laughed, not knowing the man but already liking the man she was describing.

"In another world, in another life maybe… I can see this level of love. Sweet. I hope they made it, whoever did this for their lover." Kathy sighed then rose and they started to walk, passing the other houses long since closed down and she knew the team before them would have gone through these houses to rummage about. Still … Douglas and a few of the others wanted to look in case there were still things to be had and she didn't really care as Douglas was really enjoying having a little gang and she was pleased that the others had finally accepted him into their inner circle.

Since they had arrived a month ago things had settled into a nice routine. There were fish in the lake and the children were excited to be allowed to sit on the end of the pier with lines. There was a veggie garden established and also another homestead further inland marked in the book left behind (Yeah, he did) as having free ranking chickens roaming about. Ghost had gone that way.

Kathy and Dwight were almost around the lake when he stopped again and pointed "There we are. Another one."

Kathy grinned as she walked happily in the warmth of the day, no Biters in sight. They had not seen any in the time they had been there, the daily scouting not showing anything in the two or three miles around the lake.

"Do you think we can stay here?" Dwight asked, as if reading her thoughts.

"Well… if they've been here for this length of time … I feel it's safe enough. Yeah. We will sit out this winter and see where we are… maybe even the next? Why not." She shrugged "This place seems solid enough. We are a good number to be here and … well. I wonder if they moved on because they got too many people or … this was simply not good enough for the amount of people they were. I get the feeling there are a lot more of them than of us."

"So … you and Doug?"

"Better. Much better" she assured him "I think things are really looking up.

.

.

.

.

And they were. For three glorious months it was all good, the winter settling them into the large house that must have been for children like some sort of crèche. Not only did everyone find their chores and respective place in the family but also Kathy was surprised to find she was happy to slip into the mainstream as just one of the family members, leaving the leadership to Douglas and Ghost.

It seemed easier to revel in her motherhood. Time spent just watching her child become the sweet little life that she had created, the joy in just spending her days breastfeeding and cuddling her child. Something she thought she would never have. IT was wondrous. She did feel a little ashamed of how happy she was in a world where so much sorrow and death existed too.

She wondered if there were others, other people sitting out there with their own little one on their arms, replenishing the world, restarting the human race again.

Surely there was, right?

Andy had made it, Torchwood had made it… what are the chances one day they might actually meet and their children might even stand together.

In a New World.

She can have Hope.


	33. Jinx

_Life has been good here, my baby is now a solid little boy with attitude that tells me my mother must have suffered with me. Douglas is a loving father a good friend and above all … proving to be a strong leader._

_It has been almost a year here and I am finally starting to have hope that maybe we are over the worst of it. Talk around the campfire is that the Biters have probably died out by now, the winter and no food sources surely killed off most if not all of them._

_I hope so. Personally I think they are just being hopeful bit I don't want to burst anyone's bubble. They are going to go explore in the next few days, the search party (Ghost) has seen signs that tells of another group out there in the next dell._

_We can only be hopeful._

.

.

.

.

Kathy had wanted or go as well but little Al had fallen the day before and although not badly hurt he was still clingy and whinging. Learning to walk was a big deal when he seemed a late bloomer. She worried that maybe he was developmentally delayed due to her age so walking was a relief. Dwight had offered to stay behind instead as Al loved him dearly but she saw the flash of annoyance on Douglas' face. He was a little jealous of the relationship his son had formed with another man and Kathy said she would sit this one out instead.

She was currently sitting with her toddler in her lap as she peeled some potatoes for the little one to help wrap in tinfoil for the bonfire tonight. Everyone had started enjoying the novelty of cooking over the open flames and it meant the gas they had for the gas stove was being saved for those cold wet days the bonfire would not possibly work for them.

She was sitting there enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon sun when the sound of the motorbike arriving made her turned her head to watch Ghost careen into the car parking area and stumble, dropping the bike in its side without care as he looked wildly around then settled on her.

She knew deep down something terrible had happened.

She rose as the SWAT vehicle followed Ghost in, Dean already running from the house behind her with his kit bag. Now she was realty scared. Not only had they radioed ahead and needed more first aid than they already had onboard, whatever it was… they hadn't warned her.

The door swung open and Douglas was the first out, covered in blood and yelling for Dean. She felt a mixture of relief that he was unharmed and dread because it meant someone else surely was. She rose, dropping the baby into the nearest arms and ran for the vehicle as Robbie struggled to gather the baby into his arms as the little one started to cry for his mother.

Her fear was now for Dwight.

"What happened" she yelled as she looked inside and stepped back, her next words now stuck in her throat as she stared in at Derrick who sat with a stump where his hand used to be, removed just below his elbow joint.

She helped them get him inside and tried not to vomit. God, they had cut his hand off moments after the bite in the hopes of saving him from the infection. Could it work? Would it work?

"Kathy, leave" Douglas said as he settled the hapless man in the back room "Please. Go."

"I am not a shrinking fucking violet" she hissed "Stop trying to handle me!"

Dwight turned to face her, his face full of sorrow "Think. How many of us were there?"

She finally got it and groaned, heading back out to watch the body bag being slid out in the puddle of blood, making it splash onto the ground as they unloaded Danni's body.

"FUCK!" she screamed with rage, unable to comprehend the fact they had lost one… maybe tow of their people just like that. She leaned against the side of the vehicle and took a moment, then straightened up and walked confidently to the huddle of people trying to comfort the kids who had unfortunately seen everything.

"OK, kids. You are going with Ghost and Mark and Mary. They will take you for a walk around the lake to check out the glass fronted house you are all wanting to explore." She then said quietly to the three adults "If it looks viable as somewhere to sleep tonight … send one back for supplies and stay there."

"In case he turns" Ghost says sullenly.

"yeah" she sighed "I … damn it. I need to stay, thank god Al is on the bottle now. Come to think of it … take the supplies with you. Either way… it's safer than here tonight."

"Agreed" Mark nodded, looking over at the house across the lake, the late sun making the glass frontage glint.

Kathy instantly dismissed this as done and turned to walk back inside.

It was going to be a long night.


	34. out of luck?

Kathy knew a gunshot would scare the kids still walking around the edge of the lake who were thinking they were on an adventure with their little sleeping rolls so she used a knife, driving it into Danni's skull with repulsion. To everyone's horror she snarled as she died a second time, Kathy timing the 'mercy' just in time. Danni had started her turn.

She then staggered from the room and went into the kitchen where she started to boil some water to make a cuppa. A cup of tea. Yes…calm the nerves. Tea. It was going to be a long night and Derrick had stopped moaning about the pain a little while ago. Dean had given him morphine despite its short supply. That didn't bode well in her mind. Kathy let the men talking softly as they tried to comfort the poor man. Kathy left them to it, walking out to stare across the lake at the far light in the distance that she knew was the tily lamp in the house. They had made it and she knew the kids were safe.

All that mattered.

She was too scared to look in on Derrick, too scared to see if it had worked or not and the silence was starting to grate now. Too quiet. Too … a hand on her back made her jump and she swung to find Douglas there, tired and almost broken.

"Well?" she asked immediately.

"He's sleeping. I think … I think it has worked. He seems stable, Dean and Geoff are with him. I … god sweetie. It all happened so fucking quick" he sighed, accepting the cuppa with a groan of gratitude.

They settled at the table and he started to explain.

"We found the homestead and then Geoff notices some smoke in the distance that looks like a possible camp fire and we… we didn't' even consider the… we were stupid. God Kat… so stupid. Danni took off and we followed, she ran across the field to the hedgerow and then somehow managed to shimmy though it. By the time we got there she was screaming and we couldn't get through like she did. In the end Ghost climbed, his hands must be torn up. He wouldn't let us check … oh baby it was bad. We ran around, found her dead and Ghost fighting the … there were six Biters. The fire had been a camp fire, the dead body beside hers clearly the poor sod that had attracted the herd of Biters with the smoke same as he did us." Douglas stopped, rubbing his face.

"Derrick ran in and got bit too" she prompted him, he needed to get it out before he got too upset.

"Yeah. His wrist. He reared back and … Dwight did it with that fucking machete of his. Just swung and chopped the hand off clean above the wrist. It was so fast. Then Ghost grabbed the hot pot over the fore, tipped the stuff out and slammed the bottom on the bleeding stump. God the smell."

"But did it work?" she said more to herself than him "Does that really work or is it just a Hollywood thing."

"Babe, until this all happened… zombies were just a Hollywood thing too. We have no idea but … he seems stable. No sign of sickness, we think … we are going hopeful anyway. We will watch over him, fully armed and the first sign of becoming a Biter, the first twitch we put him down. He knows that, we discussed it. He knows."

Kathy rose and looked out over the lake "So … Dean, You, Me and Geoff are here. That leaves Mark, Mary and Robbie and Dwight with the kids" she sighed after thinking it though.

"And Ghost" he added for her.

"No, he's walking back. I can see his silhouette in the moonlight. Probably worried about us" she moved away from Douglas, then turned back to kiss him gently "It's not your fault. You did what you could. OK? Don't beat yourself up about this love. We knew we would have losses along the way… just… not so dumb."

Douglas stole another kiss and let his head rest against hers for a moment then headed back into the other room to watch over the poor man and Kathy stepped out onto the front porch to greet Ghost. He was walking slowly, tired no doubt and worried for his friend. Also … he felt each loss as keenly as Douglas did. A good man.

She started to walk towards him "You OK?"

"Pissed off Boss" he replied as she met him in the front yard, "What a clusterfuck."

"Douglas told me what happened. You could not predict that she would forget the golden rule of allowing for your backup. This was a fuckup alright, but not yours. OK?" she raced out and grab his forearms in her hands, pulling on them gently as he stumbled forward into her arms. She held him and rubbed his back "You are exhausted. I know you are worried but you have to sleep. Go check, sleep now and in the morning you can spell the others then, yeah?"

He drew back and smiled "Yeah. OK boss."

Then came the sound of shooting from in the house and she swung with horror as the sound of things breaking followed, then Dean and Douglas sprinted out the door with their guns drawn, firing behind themselves.

Kathy felt the air turn as cold as fucking Siberia.

The Biter erupted from the house after them, the stump looking ridiculous with the previously white bandages now black in the moonlight from the blood covering the thing that was once a man.

Clearly it hadn't worked at all.


	35. handing over

Kathy cried out with horror as the thing reached Dean and he stumbled, falling under its weight. Her sound distracted it and it swung to face her as Dean shuffled back on his butt, his eyes wide with shock.

Douglas aimed for its head but Dean slammed right into his legs and he toppled back. Ghost began to fire and it was like it knew their tactic as it dodged and wove towards them. Kathy was not armed. It was still inside sitting at the fucking kettle and her now cool cup of tea. Right? Stupid.

Kathy turned and stated to run instead. Ghost followed her making loud yelling noises hoping to lead it away with her so they could get a good shot.

"Fuck" Ghost roared.

She stopped and turned to see that it hadn't followed her and the sickening clarity slammed home that it was heading around the lake. For the kids. Somehow, someway… it knew where they were and as the men on the ground struggled to get up Ghost had the same conclusion as her, running after the creature with his gun still firing, then it was empty and he stopped running to reload.

Douglas was on his feet, and he sprinted past Ghost, getting closer to the Biter with his long strides that had won him marathons in his younger days of glory. Kathy scooped up Dean's gun and started to run after her husband, her face wet with tears as Dean finally got up off the ground and staggered after them as well.

Douglas fired.

Missed.

Kathy fired and it stumbled, but regained its footing and kept running. Pulled to the left. Fuck, took off an ear? Fuck. Come on Kathy. She took a deep breath and fired again, this time the thing that was once Derrick yelped, seemed to do a forward summersault and land in a heap.

Ghost passed her with determination as Douglas stood emptying his clip in the writhing creature, followed by Ghost who swore as he dropped his gun to stagger back, his hands to his head as he counted the losses of a doomed day.

Kathy stood a short distance away as they all took a moment to breath. It was a long run, almost around the lake and the Lake House was in view. Had they looked in that direction they would have seen Dwight thundering toward them with his own gun out.

Douglas turned to Kathy, reaching for her "Are you Ok love?"

Ghost turned to watch the two embrace then he sighed as he saw more graves to be dug in his future _._

_Stupid fucking Dean untying the man to check his stump. Stupid fucking moron that unleashed hell. Stupid twats._

"Why is Dwight running towards us like that?" Ghost asked calmly.

Dwight began to fire as he was the only one with a weapon still in play. By the time they had turned to look Dean was almost on them, running at a strange crabbed stagger with his arms flailing and the hand missing two fingers clear as day in the moonlight. Kathy cried out and Douglas pushed her behind him as he stood to meet the thing head on, both of them falling as he wrestled with it, yelling "RUN!"

Dwight kept coming, now unable to shoot for fear of hitting Douglas and he thundered up to Kathy who seized the gun from him and fired instead. Her aim true as the creature's head whipped back and it seemed to stare at her as the bead of blood on its forehead grew to a torrent. It fell to one side and died.

"Doug" she choked out, too scared to move as he lay with his arms still up and his left foot dragging in the dirt "Douglas?"

"Fuck" he coughed, then rolled to his side and threw up "Kathy love… go to the kids now."

"No" she sighed so heartbroken and worn down that there were no more tears.

She handed the gun to Dwight and turned, looking at the Lake House and the children hidden within. Her boy, her precious little one. No doubt asleep and unaware that he would wake to find his Daddy gone.

"Dwight" Douglas choked out through the blood pooling in his mouth from the torn throat "Now. While it is my choice. Dwight… look after her. Please. No matter what … look after Kat. She is … she is the one who will get you through. Please."

Dwight knelt and took Douglas' hand, looking down at him with open sorrow "I will take her as mine, your son is my son. My future … their future will be your legacy. I swear to you my friend … I will defend her and those babies until the world has blinked out of existence. It's OK. I will take the reins."

Douglas looked at him with gratitude then gently took the gun from his hand, placing it under his own chin and angling it like a medical man knew to do. "I love you Kat"

The sound of the shot made Kathy cry out, falling to her knees in the dirt as her husband protected her and their child the only way he could.

Douglas took one for the team.


	36. hope is ahead

_I don't know where we are going. I only know we can't stay here. The Lake House is lovely but also tainted now as the kids look over the water to the homestead they can never return to._

_Al knows something has happened but does not understand yet the full ramifications of it. Manny has stepped up like a good boy and is carrying the lump of a baby like he is a puppy or something, the other kids closing ranks around the baby. I take comfort in knowing he has friends, family. Siblings I guess._

_Dwight has been a comfort, his kind soft voice and his solid arms letting me break while the others don't see. For some reason the anger … the rage I feel … makes me weep. More for the hopelessness of the situation than the loss of my husband. I can't mourn anymore. I am spent. I am torn now. I don't want to leave him. His grave. But I must. Poor Dwight. He knows my pain, his own wife gone and … we have to move on. For the kids, we have to move forward and keep striving for a place of safety._

.

.

.

"But was it safe? He's not marked it" Mary tapped the map they had found in the backpack they had taken from the poor dead man's campsite. Going through it they had found maps, and things suggesting he had been searching too. The small radio crackled in Dwight's hands as he turned it on to check the batteries, coming to life with a voice. Clear. A bit… Scottish?

"This is the Outpost. Can anyone hear me? If anyone is out there, still alive in this madness. My Name is Kris. We are here. We are still here. If you are in the England or Wales region please get a pen and paper. I will read out coordinates for you soon that will take you to a camp. We will meet you there on each Thursday. I repeat, every Thursday one of our people will visit this camp and greet any people there. Go to the coordinates. There is shelter, food and on Thursday there will be a friend. Do you have that pen now? The coordinates are….."

Ghost and Dwight had both scrambled for pens and were writing feverishly as the man's voice repeated the coordinates twice, then they poured over the map as the message started to repeat.

"He marked that as the next stop. Look. Poor bastard was almost there, has left it for us. Looks like the lake region" Dwight said to Ghost, "Do we trust it?"

"We can't stay. I … I don't know. I … what if I scout ahead. Looking at this it is a three day ride. I will go on the bike, check out this camp. If it looks real and I don't see a trap I will come back for you and…"

"We can't wait six days" Kathy cut in "No. We all go, and then wait a good eight or ten hours off the camp site. You go in, check it out and radio back. We then wait for you to return as well. The double check. If you don't come back it's a trap. We wait 24 hours for you then fuck off. If it is safe we all go in. We can't wait six days to find out … we can't stay"

"I agree with Kathy" Dwight nodded as the radio's voice started the message again "And I want to meet this man. He sounds solid."

Kathy nodded and Ghost turned off the radio, silencing Kris' voice.

They sat back and considered, then Mary finally said "Let's do it. Bold and determined. Right?"

"Right."

They would all fit in the SWAT vehicle now. There were now so few of them then before… Kathy rose and started to pack things as Ghost and Dwight took over the discussion of the next steps.

This Outpost… might exist.

They had to have hope. She felt it, the first tendrils of hope.

In three days they would know for sure, Kathy feeling Dwight's hands slide around her waist to pull her back into a hug reassuring as well.

In the desistance she watched her children play.

They were all hers now.

The future beckoning.

.

.

.

.

And of course we know they got there, they lived there and flourished and now… they have finally met the Torchwood Crew left and Ianto got that hug of thanks. Many times over.

As per discussions … I think the next story should be Andy's Journey. After all … getting not just Martha as a wife but Mickey as well must be an interesting one yes?

Thanks to those of you still reading.

Love you all.


End file.
